Albania loses 62,000 cattle in five years

Albania has lost more than 62,000 cattle in five years, as livestock farming shrinks and milk production falls.

INSTAT data show cattle numbers fell from more than 337,000 in 2021 to fewer than 275,000 last year.

Milk production also dropped by almost 130,000 tonnes over the same period.

Experts say the main reasons are people leaving villages, low milk prices, weak support for farmers and the closure of some livestock farms.

They warn that the crisis is hitting rural families who depend on animals and milk sales for income.

The figures point to wider pressure on Albania’s villages, where young people are leaving and many small farms are struggling to survive.

Cattle make up about 42% of Albania’s livestock sector.