How did exports change in the first half of the year? Minerals, metals and machinery offset the decline in textiles
Albanian exports closed the first half of the year with growth, but the expansion continues to rely on a limited number of commodity groups. Minerals, fuels, along with construction materials, metals and machinery, offset the decline in textiles and several other traditional sectors.
According to INSTAT data, exports reached around 193.4 billion lek during the period January-June 2026, increasing by 6.1% compared to a year earlier. Imports rose to around 449.8 billion lek, with an expansion of 4.3%.
Despite exports growing faster in percentage terms, the trade deficit widened to around 256.4 billion lek, from 249.1 billion lek a year earlier. However, the export-import coverage ratio improved slightly, reaching around 43%.
The main contribution to the increase in sales abroad was made by the group “Minerals, fuels and electricity”. Its exports reached 42.6 billion lek, with an annual increase of 21.9%. This group alone added about 7.7 billion lek to the value of exports, out of 11.1 billion lek which was the total increase, this was influenced by the situation in the Middle East.
As in June, construction materials and metals also recorded positive performance, with an increase of 14.9%, reaching 28.4 billion lek. Exports of machinery and equipment expanded by 14.5%, while food, beverages and tobacco recorded a more moderate increase of 3.4%.
Textiles and footwear followed in the opposite direction. Exports of this group fell by 6.7%, from 54.7 billion lek to around 51 billion lek, losing nearly 3.7 billion lek in one year. Despite the decline, textiles and footwear still remain the largest group of Albanian exports.
The strongest percentage contraction was recorded in leather and leather products, by 19.6%. Wood and paper products also decreased by 7.6%, as well as chemical and plastic products by 1.1%.
On the imports side, the largest category was machinery, equipment and spare parts, with over 116 billion lek and an increase of 5.2%. Imports of food and minerals, fuels and electricity expanded by 7.2% each, while chemical and plastic products increased by 2.9%.
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