On Thursday, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) allowed Slovenian poultry producer Perutnina Ptuj, part of MHP agricultural holding, and Balfin – Balkan Finance Investment Group sh.p.k. (Tirana, Albania) to establish a joint venture in Albania, Perutnina Ptuj Albania sh.p.k., the agency’s website reports.
In addition, it is reported that the AMCU has approved the indirect acquisition of more than 50% in four other companies through Perutnina Ptuj Albania sh.p.k: Driza sh.p.k., Fresh Chicken Albania 2019 sh.p.k., Industria Foragjere (VEAF) sh.a., EURO ALB 2009 SHPK (Fier, Albania).
The newly established joint venture Perutnina Ptuj Albania sh.p.k. also intends to acquire the assets of Kompleksi Patos and Qendra Prinderore, owned by businessman Gikmet Driza.
The Albanian Antimonopoly Authority has already approved the deal at a meeting on March 19.
“The proposed transaction will not increase the market power of any of the parties involved in the transaction and is not expected to create problems for competition in terms of horizontal and vertical effects,” the Albanian regulator said in a statement.
According to it, the partnership agreement on the future transaction was signed between Perutnina Ptuj d.o.o. and Balfin on December 8, 2023. According to the document, Perutnina Ptuj will own 81% and Balfin 19% in the Perutnina Ptuj Albania JV, which will be jointly controlled by both companies.
Then, on December 29, Perutnina Ptuj and Balfin signed an agreement with Hikmet and Sula Driza to purchase 100% of the shares of Driza Sh.p.k., Fresh Chicken Albania 2019 sh.p.k. and Industria Foragjere (VEAF) sh.a.
The transfer of assets will take place on the day of fulfillment of all preliminary conditions of the agreement, including all necessary approvals and permits.
It is indicated that Perutnina Ptuj Albania sh.p.k. specializes in investing in poultry farming. It will be engaged in poultry breeding, production of feed, meat and poultry products, trade and services.
Currently, Perutnina operates in Albania only through Kosmonte Foods Tirana distributor.
Balfin SHPK is one of the leading enterprises in Albania. The company specializes in investing in financial instruments, real estate, tangible and intangible assets, providing consulting services and is owned by Samir Mane. The company operates in the retail, real estate, asset management, banking, and energy sectors and was not previously present in the Albanian poultry market.
Driza Sh.p.k. specializes in the cultivation, breeding and production of poultry meat, poultry products and by-products, as well as the purchase, processing, packaging and storage of agricultural and livestock products. Owned by Albanian citizens Hikmet, Sulo and Besnik Driza.
Fresh Chicken Albania 2019 sh.p.k. specializes in poultry slaughter, procurement, processing, packaging and cold storage of agricultural and livestock products, all types of semi-finished and finished products of plant or animal origin. The company is owned by Sulo Driz.
Industria Foragjere, d.d. (VEAF) is engaged in the construction of feed mills, production and trade (wholesale and retail) of feeds, concentrates, vitamins and raw materials (fish meal, meat meal, cereals, bran and other similar products). It is owned by Hikmet Driza and Driza.
EURO ALB 2009 sh.p.k. is engaged in growing crops, purchasing, processing and cold storage of agricultural and livestock products. In addition, it specializes in the production of poultry meat, products and products of their processing, wholesale and retail in the country and abroad, etc. The company is owned by Besnik Driza.
MHP is the largest chicken producer in Ukraine. It also produces grain, sunflower oil, and processed meat products. Its shares are traded on the main floor of the London Stock Exchange. MHP supplies chilled chicken half-carcasses to the European market, which are processed, in particular, at its facilities in the Netherlands and Slovakia. In February 2019, the holding completed the acquisition of Slovenian company Perutnina Ptuj.
In the first nine months of 2023, MHP posted a net profit of $122 million compared to a loss of $269 million in the same period of 2022, while its revenue increased by 22% to $2 billion 294 million and EBITDA by 20% to $329 million.
In particular, the European segment (Perutnina Ptuj) increased its revenue by 19% to $411 million and its EBITDA by 17% to $68 million.
Albania is planning to open its embassy in Kyiv in the near future, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said after talks with his Albanian counterpart, Igli Hasani.
“During my first visit to friendly Albania, I met with Minister Igli Hasani. I thanked Albania for its strong support and solidarity with Ukraine. We identified ways to strengthen cooperation in the defense sector, paying special attention to artillery ammunition. Albania plans to open its embassy in Kyiv in the near future. I highly appreciate this decision, which will significantly strengthen our bilateral ties,” Kuleba wrote on social network X.
He also thanked Albania for its willingness to join the Core Group of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
In addition, the ministers noted effective cooperation within international organizations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Tirana will hold a meeting with the Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama, will participate in the summit “Ukraine – Southeast Europe”.
“With the Prime Minister of Albania and his team we will hold talks on defense and political cooperation, support for the Formula World and work on security agreements. Albania is one of the countries that joined the G7 Vilnius Declaration, for which we are very grateful,” Zelensky wrote in his Telegram channel on Wednesday, calling Edi Rama an uncompromising friend of Ukraine.
“In the format “Ukraine – Southeast Europe”, which is meeting for the second time, we will talk about our common path to the Euro-Atlantic goal. I will offer to support Ukraine’s efforts to ensure a just and lasting peace, the organization of the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland,” he informed.
In addition, the President of Ukraine will hold bilateral meetings with the participants of the summit.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Development of Albania has approved the form of international veterinary certificate, which the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the export of heat-treated dairy products, the press service of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection reported.
According to the report, currently it is possible to export three types of products to Albania: poultry, meat semi-finished products and heat-treated dairy products for nutrition.
On the official web portal of Gosprodpotrebsluzhba published the form of international certificate for the export of Ukrainian dairy products.
In addition, the agency reminded that in order to export food products, the market operator must submit a request for unscheduled veterinary control, which is carried out according to the requirements of the country of destination, to the main departments of the State Food and Consumer Service in the regions and Kiev, as well as its interregional branches at the state border, through which the products will be exported.
To the application of the market operator it is necessary to attach copies of the foreign economic agreement/contract; documents certifying the existence of special requirements established by the competent authority of the country of destination of the cargo (if any); documents certifying the characteristics of the cargo of food products and the vehicle (if any – invoice, CMR, commodity-transport specification of the food product).
The relevant territorial authority shall issue the international certificate on the working day after receipt of the market operator’s application.
Albania intends to open an embassy in Ukraine – for the first time during the period of diplomatic relations between the countries, Albanian Foreign Minister Olta Djacka said on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the countries.
“Albania and Ukraine are part of the family of free democratic nations, the future of both is in the Euro-Atlantic family. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary (of diplomatic relations – IF-U) I am pleased to announce that Albania will expand its diplomatic presence in Kiev by opening an embassy in Ukraine,” she wrote on Twitter.
The foreign minister added that Ukraine’s heroic resistance is a fight for freedom and a rejection of a return to the tyranny from which both states emerged.
“That is why Albania will support Ukraine and its people as best it can until they are defeated in the illegal war of aggression by the Russian Federation,” Olta Djacka explained.
The minister stressed that she looks forward to working closely with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmitry Kuleba to further develop and strengthen cooperation in the future.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Albania for its support and assistance to Ukrainian refugees.
“Thank you for the fact that the people of Albania did not hesitate whom to support in this struggle. You have definitely taken the side of freedom and truth,” he told the Albanian parliament on Tuesday, speaking via video link.
“Thank you for concrete steps, for defense assistance, for supporting sanctions against Russia, for taking care of our people and accepting our children, in particular in Durres,” Zelensky said.
According to the president, “such an attitude towards Ukrainians in difficult times reminds me of Holy Mother Teresa, an Albanian whose life has become a symbol of humanism.”
“She taught people that good can overcome evil and get closer to the holiness that people will remember from generation to generation,” Zelensky said.
