In the first quarter the volume of fresh fruit and vegetables advanced by 36.3 per cent, whereas the wholesale value dropped by 25.0 per cent, when compared to the corresponding period of 2009.

Regional Statistics

The volume of fruit and vegetables supplied by Maltese farmers totalled 10.4 million kilograms, an increase of 38.4 per cent when compared to the corresponding quarter last year. During the period under review, this produce yielded €3.8 million, and represented 92.2 per cent of the total supply of fruit and vegetables.

Gozitan farmers supplied a total of 0.9 million kilograms of fresh fruit and vegetables, or 7.8 per cent of the total supply. The volume of fresh fruit and vegetables rose by 15.9 per cent, whereas the wholesale value fell by 17.1 per cent over the comparative quarter in 2009.

Fresh fruit and vegetable availability for the first quarter of 2010 rose by 36.3 per cent to 11.2 million kilograms, from 8.2 million kilograms in the first quarter last year. This quantity increase was contrasted by a decrease of 25.0 per cent in the wholesale value amounting to €4.43 million in the period under review.

During the first quarter, the supply of fresh vegetables rose by 36.5 per cent to 10.8 million kilograms. Increases were registered in the supply of Cauliflowers (+67.3 per cent), Vegetable Marrows (+39.0 per cent), Potatoes (+28.4 per cent) and Tomatoes (+24.9 per cent). In contrast, the wholesale value of fresh vegetables declined by 32.0 per cent to €3.7 million in 2010.

Over the comparative period in 2009, the supply and wholesale value of fresh fruit registered an increase of 31.6 per cent and 52.7 per cent respectively, mainly on account of Strawberries.

Quarterly Indices

The quarterly ‘All Items’ fresh fruit price index for the first quarter, advanced to 188.97 points from 179.38 points in Q1/2009. The fresh fruit volume index also rose by 15.81 points or 31.7 per cent, to 65.76 points.

The quarterly ‘All Items’ fresh vegetables price index declined by 91.29 points (-50.8 per cent) from 179.73 points in the first quarter of 2009 to 88.44 points in the corresponding period this year. On the other hand, the fresh vegetables volume index rose by 28.55 points (+36.5 per cent) to 106.68 points in the first quarter of 2010.

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