Kosovo bans export of some food products due to the consequences of the Ukraine-Russia war

A meeting of "Kurti" government, April, 12, 2022 

 The Government of Kosovo has decided to temporarily suspend the export of some food products to countries in the region and beyond.

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti said on Wednesday, April 13, at a meeting of the Government that the purpose of this decision is to ensure the supply of citizens with products such as wheat, corn, flour, cooking oil, table salt, and sugar.

"The Russian invasion and military aggression in Ukraine has affected the supply chain of agri-food products in Europe," said Kurti.

Kosovo does not have a high level of exports.

Exports of goods "Made in Kosovo" in February, according to data from the Kosovo Agency of Statistics, amounted to 65.2 million euros, while imports amounted to 414.7 million euros.

But the Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade of Kosovo, Rozeta Hajdari, said that "the export of goods, no matter how small, may jeopardize the supply of the population in the future."

North Macedonia and Serbia have also imposed restrictions on the export of certain foodstuffs.

But a few days after the decision, Serbian authorities announced that they would resume wheat exports to the countries of the "Open Balkans" initiative, which in addition to Serbia, also includes Albania and North Macedonia.