Albania's imports decreased by 2.7 percent compared to the same month last year, as foreign trade figures confirm a slowdown in consumption and investment in the economy.
Official data from INSTAT shows that last month, imports were 67 billion lekë from 69 billion in August last year. August is the peak of the country's tourist season. The drop in imports in the most important month for tourism confirms that Albania faced a disappointing tourist season this year, which has not helped the economy expand.
However, August is not an isolated case. Official data show that throughout this year, imports have had a clear downward trend. According to the data, in total for the first 8 months, imports have decreased by 2.1%, compared to the first 8 months of 2024.
The groups of goods that have negatively impacted the annual decrease in imports are: "Machinery, equipment and spare parts" with -1.7 percentage points, "Construction materials and metals" with -1.2 percentage points, etc.
While the groups that had a positive impact were: "Food, beverages, tobacco" with +0.6 percentage points, "Minerals, fuels, electricity" with +0.5 percentage points and "Chemical and plastic products" with +0.2 percentage points.
Meanwhile, on the other side of trade, the figures show the same lukewarm situation. Exports of Albanian companies to foreign markets continue to shrink in real terms, but due to a statistical trick, Instat shows them with minimal growth.
Foreign trade data for this year show that the economic pulse has begun to weaken and that Albania will most likely face a year of low economic growth.
Editorial
