Bananas’ price in Albania has increased with 35%, going to 230 Lek per kg from 170 Lek it was a few days ago. Merchants have raised the wholesale price, following the capture of 613 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a double-decked container with a banana load coming from Colombia. After the increased police controls, banana importers from Colombia and other far away countries have limited the supply for the markets, influencing the raise of prices.

According to the Customs House, from 2016 Albania imports bananas from three countries only: Ecuador, Colombia and Mexico, with the first occupying 77% of the whole imports of bananas.