The Chamber of Commerce of Kosovo (OEK) has highlighted concerns regarding the impact of national policies on the competitiveness of local businesses, particularly about the protective measures for fruits and vegetables. This measure, according to OEK, has disrupted the local market and escalated the final product prices for processing and trading companies reliant on these protected products. OEK's analysis, based on feedback from the industry, suggests an average price increase of 21.6% for the affected products, attributed to heightened raw material and import costs.
Furthermore, OEK's communique points out a resultant dip in profit margins and sales volumes for businesses within the sector. It also notes an insufficiency in local production to meet consumer demand for fruits and vegetables, questioning the timing and efficacy of the policy. While intended to bolster local production, the measure seemingly overlooks the adverse repercussions on the processing and commercial sectors, with any benefits to manufacturing companies being offset by drawbacks in processing entities.
OEK advocates for comprehensive analyses and studies to precede such policy decisions, emphasizing the importance of understanding chain effects. It cites 2018 import data from Kosovo Customs, which shows no significant change in fruit and vegetable imports, challenging the rationale behind the protective measure. Despite a minor decrease in imports during the measure's enactment, OEK remains open to collaborating with the Ministry of Trade and Industry to address and support the needs of local businesses.
Source: Telegrafi