Fier County

Fier County defies expectations by operating as Albania's economic engine from an unlikely base: agriculture and oil. The Myzeqe Plain produces roughly a third of Albania's vegetables and a quarter of its field crops, earning the designation 'breadbasket of Albanian agriculture.' Simultaneously, the Patos-Marinza oilfield—Europe's largest onshore—anchors an extractive sector that has operated since the early 20th century. This dual foundation recently pushed Fier past Tirana in GDP contribution, an outcome few predicted.

The county exhibits resource allocation patterns that mirror biological systems managing multiple energy sources. Agriculture provides steady, renewable yields; oil extraction offers intense but depleting returns. When global oil prices collapsed in 2014, the hydrocarbon sector contracted while agriculture continued. This portfolio effect—diversification reducing volatility—explains Fier's resilience compared to more specialized regional economies.

A controversial 170 MW gas power plant approved in December 2024 signals continued hydrocarbon dependence, even as the Ballsh refinery faces operational challenges. The tension between exploiting proven reserves and transitioning toward sustainability echoes debates in ecology about harvesting versus conservation. Fier's 240,000 residents benefit from wages above the Albanian average, but the long-term trajectory depends on whether agricultural productivity can compensate for inevitable oil depletion.