Drop In production of fresh fruit and vegetables

Malta Independent Friday, 8 February 2008, 00:00 Last update: about 12 years ago

A total of 8.4 million kilograms of fresh fruit and vegetables was supplied in the fourth quarter of 2007, the National Statistics Office reported yesterday. This indicates a fall of 11.1 per cent over the comparative period in 2006. On the other hand, the wholesale value increased by 21.6 per cent, from Lm1.6m (e3.6m) in the fourth quarter of 2006 to Lm1.9m (e4.4m) in the corresponding quarter of 2007.

The supply of fresh vegetables fell by 11.3 per cent. Drops were recorded in potatoes (-40.3 per cent), lettuce (-11.5 per cent) and vegetable marrows (-34.7 per cent). In contrast, the wholesale value for fresh vegetables rose from Lm1.4m (e3.3m) in the fourth quarter of 2006 to Lm1.8m (e4.1m) in the fourth quarter of 2007, an increase of 24.9 per cent.

The supply of fresh fruit decreased by 7.3 per cent over the comparative period in 2006.

The decline registered was mainly the result of a drop in the availability of sweet oranges (-11.0 per cent) and grapes (-77.6 per cent). Similarly, the wholesale value of fresh fruit declined by 10.4 per cent to Lm0.13m (e0.31m) in the fourth quarter of 2007.

Regional statistics

In the fourth quarter of 2007, Maltese farmers supplied a total of 7.6 million kilograms or 90.0 per cent of the total fruit and vegetable supply produced locally. While over the comparative period in 2006, the volume of fresh fruit and vegetables fell by 11.1 per cent, the wholesale value rose by 21.8 per cent.

Gozitan farmers’ supply of fresh fruit and vegetables amounted to 835,756 kilograms or 10.0 per cent of the total supply. In the period under review, an 11.7 per cent decline in the volume of fresh fruit and vegetables was recorded, while the wholesale value of Gozitan produce increased by 20.4 per cent.

Indices

The quarterly “All Items” fresh vegetables price index for the fourth quarter of 2007 stood at 137.35 points, an increase of 40.98 points (+42.5 per cent) over the same period in 2006. On the other hand, the volume index for fresh vegetables fell 10.04 points (-11.3 per cent), from 88.52 points in the fourth quarter of 2006 to 78.48 points in the corresponding quarter last year.

The fresh fruit price index stood at 138.19 points in the fourth quarter 2007, a drop of 0.07 points (-0.6 per cent) over the last quarter of 2006. Nevertheless, the fresh fruit volume index declined by 5.39 points (-7.3 per cent) from 73.46 points to 68.07 points.