cultures. however, despite the vast resources concentrated in agriculture and the important role it plays as the main source of income for a considerable part of the population, only 20 % of gross added value comes from this sector. the low share in economy in proportion to the considerable number of the population involved in agriculture indicates the low productivity in this sector. the latest data show that the exports of “ food, beverages and tobacco ” account for 6. 2 % of total exports. livestock and agricultural products share 0. 78 % and 2. 3 % in total exports, respectively, whereas agroindustry shares 3 %. fier district represents a considerable part of production factors in agriculture. the latest data show that fier shares 18 % in total agricultural land, thus being classified as the district with the highest share in the country. in 2012, more than 56 thousand farms were registered in fier, the highest number on a country - level. this number accounts for 16 % of total farms in the country, providing the highest share of income from the sale of agricultural products, and about 20 % of albania ’ s total income. related to livestock, fier, and mainly lushnja district, have a considerable share in livestock products. as a district, fier produces 20 % of total livestock production ( milk ), whereas lushnja produces 9 %. the above setting witnesses private efforts and entrepreneurship to develop this sector. in order for this process to go ahead at a more accelerated pace, the policy - makers should identify the advantages and problems this sector encounters, in order to address them quickly. in 2012, the oxford university published a book focused on economic growth in southeastern european region. this book elaborates on a number of structural problems and challenges facing the albanian economy, in its efforts to develop further. agriculture has significant share in this analysis. some of these problems are acknowledged and frequently mentioned, such as the important infrastructure - related issues that include the road, watering, draining, storage and processing systems. problems with land ownership and the transformation of its function for other activities continue to remain a major obstacle for the country ’ s normal development, and raise ongoing concerns relating to the price and use of this important factor of production, and further on, to the normal functioning of product markets and other land - related factors. agriculture is affected by other structural problems that need a long - term solution. averagesize farms continue to be relatively small, thus restricting the development and growth of average productivity, or differently

##credit institutions. in many developing countries, these institutions have led to an increase in lending, particularly to the agricultural sector and the rural population in general, thus trying to work out the formalisation and evaluation problems i stated above. i find that the successful experience of microcredit institutions in other countries could be imported to albania. consequently, all policy - makers should get closer to these institutions and help them grow, as the microcredit institutions are the ones that have great potential to become important lenders to the private agricultural enterprises, better than any other intervention by financial and public institutions. let me conclude by saying once more that the agricultural sector should be an important source for albania ’ s further development. but the solution to the problems facing this sector calls not only for greater attention, but above all, for a modern way of thinking and a more concrete cooperation between all related stakeholders. i, therefore, hope that today ’ s meeting will contribute to drawing the attention towards this important sector and push forward the required structural reforms, which would also encourage the cooperation between agriculture and the banking and financial sector. bis central bankers ’ speeches