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70 percent of exports from Albania to the United States consist of medicinal plants and essential oils.
In 2024, 50 million dollars worth of plants were exported. Exporters already have active contracts with American companies, but starting today, the American state will charge them a 10 percent tax. This tariff is expected to reduce the amount of exports from Albania, but it will also reduce the price at which collectors receive it from farmers. If in 2024 a kilogram of sage was sold by farmers for 80 lek, this will cost 10% cheaper, or 7.2 lek per kilogram.
" This tariff is imposed on American importers, and the purpose of the American government doing this is to protect their production. In this context, the plant industry will have a guaranteed decline, they will reduce our exports. This is an earthquake wave as importers will be hit with a 10% import tax, they will reduce prices by 10% in Albania's value, we exporters will bear it but the rest will go to Albanian farmers ," says Xhavit Hysenaj, an exporter of medicinal plants.
But America is not only supplied with medicinal plants and essential oils from Albania, an important market for them is Turkey and India. According to expert Xhavit Hysenaj, Americans will move away from Albanian products, not because of the quality but the price.
" Oregano and sage in particular are very endangered because they are products that the Turkish government supports medicinal plant farmers. Sage is currently sold to farmers for 80 lek, but if this price drops it will be a disaster and there will be no sage cultivation in Albania. Due to subsidy policies, there is a possibility that Albanian sage will be replaced with Turkish sage ," Hysenaj adds.
The 10 percent tariff on Albanian products is $5 million that will ultimately not be paid by traders like Albanians or Americans, but by Albanian farmers who cultivate and collect medicinal plants. /TCH
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