Exports are not coming out of the downward trend they have been in for four years, starting January with a contraction.
According to INSTAT, in January 2026, exports of goods reached a value of 26.7 billion lek, decreasing by 4.5% compared to the same period a year earlier and by 0.3% compared to December 2025.
During January 2026, the decrease in exports of 4.5% was negatively affected by the groups: "Minerals, fuels, electricity" with -2.9 percentage points, "Textiles and footwear" with -1.8 percentage points, "Chemical and plastic products" with -0.4 percentage points, etc. The groups that had a positive impact were: "Machinery, equipment and spare parts" with +1.4 percentage points and "Leather and articles thereof" with +0.1 percentage points.
For at least three years, exports have been struggling to recover. In 2025, exports of goods reached 346 billion lek, down 6.1%. In 2024, exports had fallen by 16.2% and in 2023 they had shrunk by 9.5%. Historical data shows that over the last decade, export performance has been unstable. Since 2015, sales abroad have fallen for 7 years (2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025) and have only increased in 2017-2018 and 2021-2022, when there was a recovery from the pandemic.
INSTAT "hides" the figures
INSTST has published the new format of foreign trade publications, in which it is noticeable that the performance of exports and imports by commodity group is no longer published, an important table needed to analyze the performance of sectors that have the main contribution to exports. This data has not been added to the INSTAT database either, where the latest information is for December 2025.
It is not the first time that INSTAT has taken steps backward in transparency, limiting the tables and figures it publishes, while with Albania's progress towards EU integration, the opposite should have happened, increasing transparency.
During January 2026, the decrease in imports of 4.0%, compared to a year earlier, was negatively affected by the groups: "Construction materials and metals" with -2.1 percentage points, "Minerals, fuels and electricity" with -2.0 percentage points, "Chemical and plastic products" with -1.5 percentage points, etc. While the group: "Machinery, equipment and spare parts" had a positive impact with +2.1 percentage points.
Trade deficit improves
According to INSTAT, Imports of goods reached the value of 57.9 billion lek, decreasing by 4.0% compared to a year earlier and by 27.5% compared to December 2025. This month's trade deficit is 31.1 billion lek, decreasing by 3.6% compared to January 2025 and by 41.3% compared to December 2025.
Performance of trade in goods by partner countries
In January 2026, the countries with which Albania had the largest decrease in exports, compared to January 2025, are: Italy (3.6%), Kosovo (2.0%), etc. While the countries with which exports had the largest increase are: Germany (30.2%), Greece (31.8%), etc.
In January 2026, the countries with which Albania had the largest decrease in imports are: Italy (10.3%), Greece (3.3%), etc. While the countries with which imports have had the largest increase are: China (1.8%), Turkey (13.5%), etc.
Trade with EU countries accounts for 55.4% of all trade. In January 2026, exports to EU countries accounted for 74.1% of total exports and imports from EU countries accounted for 46.8% of total imports./Monitor
