Pandemia caused drastic import, consumption decline in Kosovo

Pandemia Covid-19 has contributed to the drastic decline in imports for 40% and even the decline in consumption in citizens, which affects state revenues. This stance emerged from a virtual forum organised by the American Oda Economics in Kosovo, on the state of consumption following the influence of pandemic.

Bashkim Arifaj, Director of Operations and Borders in Kosovo Customs, said that in terms of the import train, statistics within customs show that in the comparison period of the first weeks of April of this year, with those in 2019m results in a trend of imports in general.

“Import of essential products, with particular emphasis on wheat and flour, has been endorm during this time. According to him, Kosovo's main partners in the context of imports are Turkey and Germany, while Serbia stands in 12th place”, Arifaj has said.

He has mentioned that Kosovo Customs has used the most optimistic methods so that supply, especially with essential goods, is sustainable.

Hakif Gashi, owner of the <x0Meridian Corporation”, has said that as a result of various indicators that emerged after the presentation of the pandemic, statistics testify to a visible drop in consumption.

“Panic and daily uncertainty are continuing to shrink citizens' daily consumption as the closure of multieconomic activities and therefore increase unemployment are directing purchases mainly on essential products”, he said.

According to Gashi, if spoken in percentages, consumption has dropped approximately 50% for food products, while 70% for luxury products.

Gashi has added that money injections into the economy are key at this time, and they should focus not only on survival, but on motivation for normal consumption.

Dardan Shala, head executive chief in “M& Silos” cited citizens' panic over supplies of essential products, with emphasis added with flour in the first days of this crisis.

He stressed that that period was quite challenging for the flour industry.

The various procedures that appeared were initially dependent on import, resulting in the announcement of tax removal from Serbia, which conditioned the industry to keep stock as small as”, he said.

During the time when the demand was enormous, Shala added that the revenues were big for the industry, and so were the costs of providing those amounts until the price was raised for raw materials, ambalation and transportation.

On the other hand, Shala has called on institutions to make full harmonisation decisions with the business community, so businesses can contribute to budget and economic stability by day.

The virtual American Economic Ode Forum in Kosovo was defeated by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.