NOA close to Agribusinesses with the Financial Product of "Agro - Certification"

Agriculture is the main pillar of life, feeding the world's population and producing what we need to survive, the constant demand for food products. Sustainable agriculture is achieved through efficient use of agricultural land. Standards can be valuable tools to bring this to fruition by providing guidance and best practices in the use of agro-technical machinery, equipment and services. Standards for agriculture cover all operational aspects in agriculture, starting from the purchase of seeds or seedlings, irrigation, fertilizers, machinery, animal welfare and sustainable farm management, etc. They help to promote efficient farming methods by ensuring that everything on the farm supply chain on the table meets the right levels of safety and quality. By establishing internationally agreed solutions to global challenges, different standards for agriculture promote the sustainability and traceability of products produced while guaranteeing a management of the environment.

In the international market, Albanian farmers and food producers will increasingly be required to be certified to a food safety standard. And this, not only because of the obligations as a country towards membership in the European Union, but also as an obligation from the venture requirements of this western market.

Many of the Albanian products fail to make their way into this large market with so much potential exactly because of the lack of certification related to the issues of traceability, environment, health, safety and hygiene risks associated with the current production system in the country. All certifications since HACCP, ISO22000 and GlobalGAP, Organic basically mean exactly this: food safety at different levels. Adherence to EU standards is extremely important for agriculture in general as an important source of income for Albania, enabling producers to have access to new EU markets and therefore increasing export opportunities.

Financial Product “AgroCertification”

Precisely to help the Albanian agribusiness, the Financial Institution NOA has prepared a genuine financial product called "AgroCertification", a product unique in the financial system of crediting. This financial product is already active and is processed very quickly by the NOA branches for the requirements of entrepreneurship in agriculture, in relation to the implementation and certification of HACCP, ISO, GlobalGap, etc. standards. This financial package contains investments that different standards require and relate to the following costs:

Cost of consultancy for the implementation of the selected standard.
Costs associated with necessary business investments to meet the standard including product analysis in accredited international laboratories.
Cost of Accredited Certification Body.

What is food safety standard?

There are many standards, but they all have a common ground, preliminary programs (essential requirements of sanitary measures, hygiene, production, etc.), which represent the minimum mandatory requirements set by state authorities for food businesses.

The HACCP-based system is designed and implemented according to these basic food safety requirements and is a legal obligation for the entire agro-processing enterprise. Additional requirements vary depending on the certification scheme selected by the business.

What are the main benefits of Certification?

Increase revenues for agribusiness, access to new markets through contracts with potential buyers, expansion of wholesale and retail sales.
Reduction in overall costs, better management, staff motivation and responsibility, efficient production process.
Increased product stability, shelf life, and product characteristics with less waste and loss.
Mandatory legal completion for the implementation of national minimum standards of operators in agriculture.
Through use of the financial product “Agro-Certification” producing farmers, and agro-processing industry will now be able to make investments for the required standard, and at the same time will be able to promote produced products, not only for local markets and supermarkets, but also European ones.

Prepared by Department of Agribusiness at NOA