On the eve of the Christmas and New Year holidays, the consumption of some food products and sweets is decreasing compared to years according to the manufacturing companies.

There is a decrease in consumption this holiday eve for dairy products, pastries and sweets, with the exception of baklava. For the representatives of the companies producing dairy products, dough and sweets, the main reason for the decline in consumption remains the emigration of the population.

While the ferry lines claim that for 8 years there has been no more influx of immigrants to Albania for the end of the year holidays.

On the eve of the holidays, the decline in purchasing power is being felt the most at milk processing factories. Taulant Pupa, administrator of the "Vita 2001" processing factory, told Monitor that there is still no demand for dairy products, as happens during the holidays.

"The demand for dairy products is already beyond our forecasts. Currently, the demand is in its normal trend, as it was in October or November. The drop in demand is from both the consumer and the hotel structures. We did not expect this situation. I think the main reason remains the emigration of the population". Pupa highlighted that during the tourist season, the increase in the flow of foreign tourists increased sales by 30% compared to the 2022 season.

There is also a decrease in consumption for pastry and confectionery products.

Even Ali Devolli, the administrator of the "Alna" network for the production of dough and confectionery products, said that consumption is decreasing due to immigration and the increase in prices for other food basket products.

"The decrease in consumption of dough products, including bread and sweets, started after the end of the tourist season. The highest consumption contraction is in sweets. The main reason that consumption is decreasing remains the emigration of the population. Another factor is the high prices of food basket products. For the vast majority of the population, due to low incomes, they remain unaffordable. This has influenced the decline of purchasing power", he asserts.

There continues to be such a decrease in the influx of immigrants for the end of the year holidays.

Bernard Restos, the representative of the "Adria Ferris" company in Durrës, claims that it has been 8 years since the flow of passengers during the end-of-year holidays is not high, since the immigrants of the 90s generation no longer have family members to visit in Albania.

Although the price of baklava continues to be salty, the demand is increasing

The baklava dessert continues to remain one of the main products that Albanian families consume for the end of the year holidays, although its sales prices remain "salty".

For this year, the producers of the traditional dessert claim that they have not changed the selling price. According to them, the demand compared to the year remains higher.

Specifically, the price of traditional baklava with walnuts costs 1,000 Lek per kg. In the period of the pandemic, the year 2020, the price of baklava with nuts was 800 ALL per kg. While the price of baklava with pistachios varies from 1,800 lek in the former Block area, 2,000 lek in the Fresk and Kinostudio areas to 2,500 lek per kg in Kavaja street.

The sellers of the "Istanbul Baklava" store on Kavaja street claim for Monitor that the demand for the baklava dessert is increasing compared to years. They added that the prices have remained unchanged for 3 years.

Even the sellers of the "Baklava in the Block" shop claimed that the price has not changed compared to years.

Next year, an increase in the price of the baklava dessert is expected according to the producers.

(Source: Monitor)