At a time of year when Albanian exports are expected to flourish due to seasonality, both volume and value actually declined in August, while July turned out to be the strongest month.
According to foreign trade data from the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), exports reached 25 billion ALL (€257 million), marking a 12.9% increase compared to the same period last year but a 27.9% decrease compared to July 2025.
This result for Made in Albania products was driven mainly by the high export of fuels, machinery, and equipment.
The export growth was significantly influenced by Kosovo, with sales there increasing by 75.5% in the first eight months of the year and nearly doubling in August (+94.6%), primarily due to the group “minerals, fuels, and energy.”
Exports to Kosovo are now leading Albania’s foreign trade, having doubled in August, followed by Greece and Spain.
Exports to Kosovo accounted for 17.8% of total exports in the January–August 2025 period, up from about 10% in the same period last year.
Meanwhile, in this summer season when consumption is higher, INSTAT reports a 2.7% decline in imports, amounting to 67 billion ALL (€534 million).
The trade deficit for this month stands at 42 billion ALL, with a slight decrease, while the ratio between exports and imports shows that for every 1 good exported, 3 are imported.
