During the second quarter, the supply of fresh fruit and vegetables declined by 0.3 per cent while the wholesale value rose 1.3 by per cent, the National Statistics Office reported yesterday.

Fresh fruit and vegetable availability for the second quarter of 2007 declined marginally be 0.3 per cent, from 13.83 million kilograms in the second quarter of 2006 to 13.79 million kilograms in the second quarter this year.

On the other hand, the wholesale value of fresh fruit and vegetables increased by 1.3 per cent, from Lm 2.39 million in the second quarter last year to Lm 2.42 million in the second quarter this year.

The period under review revealed that the supply of fresh vegetables rose by 2.7 per cent over the second quarter in 2006.

Underpinning this result was an increase in the supply of sugar melons (+48.3 per cent), potatoes (+9.0 per cent) and tomatoes (+6 per cent).

The supply of dry onions declined sharply by 35.5 per cent when compared to the same period last year.

Furthermore, the wholesale value of fresh vegetables rose by 7.3 per cent, from Lm1.92 million in the second quarter of 2006 to Lm2.06 million in the second quarter this year.

On the other hand, the supply and wholesale value of fresh fruit declined by 40.2 per cent and 22.7 per cent respectively over the comparative period last year.

Noticeable declines in early figs (–65.9 per cent), nectarines (–73.3 per cent), and peaches (–58.7) were registered, although the supply of lemons increased by 28.1 per cent over the comparative period.

The decline in the wholesale value of fresh fruit, from Lm0.48 million to Lm0.37 million, was mainly the result of a decline in fresh fruit availability.

Regional Statistics

Maltese farmers supplied a total of 12.45 million kilograms (–1.3 per cent) of fruit and vegetables yielding Lm2.15 million (+0.1 per cent), representing 90.3 per cent of the total supply of fruit and vegetables.

On the other hand, Gozitan farmers supplied 1.33 million kilograms (+10.4 per cent) of fresh fruit and vegetables over the same period last year.

The wholesale value of Gozitan produce increased by 12.6 per cent, from Lm0.24 million in the second quarter of 2006 to Lm0.27 million in the second quarter this year.

Indices

The quarterly “All Items” fresh fruit price index for the second quarter rose by 26.75 points (+25.6 per cent) from 104.29 points in second quarter of 2006 to 131.04 points in the second quarter this year.

In contrast, the quarterly volume index fell by 57.55 points (–40.2 per cent) from 143.05 points in the second quarter of 2006 to 85.50 points in the second quarter this year.

The quarterly “All Items” fresh vegetables price index for the second quarter stood at 106.97 points, down marginally by 0.10 points (–0.1 per cent) over the corresponding period in 2006.

The quarterly “All Items” vegetables volume index rose by 3.44 points (+2.7 per cent) from 127.16 points last year to 130.6 points in the second quarter of 2007.