The business case to expand into commercial cultivation of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs)

RisiAlbania is working with exporters in the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) sector to boost productivity and increase sales to higher-value markets.

This report outlines the commercial benefits to exporters when switching from wild harvesting to sustainable cultivation, as well as costs they may have to face. It is based on evidence gathered from Risi partners over three years. 

RisiAlbania's work in the MAPS sector since 2013 has concluded that:

• Albanian exporters must switch their commercial models from an over-reliance on wild harvesting to more sustainable cultivation practices. Wild harvesting depletes ecological resources and offers few employment opportunities for rural young women and men, who tend to emigrate.
• exporters will only reach high value markets if they invest in improving the quality of their MAPs according to international and buyer-specific standards. This requires investing in technology, such as drying facilities, in proximity to production centres, as well as investing in providing embedded services to supplying farmers.

Cultivation in a more formalised farm setting offers a platform for exporters to invest in partnerships and supporting services for their farmers.