More fresh fruit, vegetables at market

A total of 11.6 million kilogrammes of fresh fruit and vegetables, yielding Lm2.12 million, passed through organised markets in the second quarter of this year, an increase in quantity over the same period last year of 13.2 per cent and in value of 7.1 per cent, the National Statistics Office said yesterday.

In the first six months of this year, the overall quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables increased by 0.3 million kilogrammes, or 1.7 per cent, to 20.6 million kilogrammes while the value of fresh fruit and vegetables passing through organised markets increased by Lm0.5 million, or 14.9 per cent, to Lm3.9 million.

The increase in production of vegetables in the second quarter is mainly due to increases registered in tomatoes (+seven per cent), potatoes (+8.4 per cent), green onions (+58 per cent), sugar melons (+24.7 per cent), water melons (+37.5 per cent) and cauliflower (+22.73 per cent).

On the other hand, noticeable drops were recorded in lettuce (-15 per cent) and dry onions (-21 per cent).

Most of the fresh fruit passing through organised markets in the second quarter of 2002 registered increases, resulting in an overall increase of 46.5 per cent, or Lm0.2 million, to Lm0.7 million.

Increases in the produce of strawberries (+25.5 per cent), nectarines (+142.6 per cent) and peaches (+97.1 per cent) were the main contributors to the rise in the quantity of fruit passing through organised markets.

The value of fresh vegetables increased by 2.1 per cent, or Lm0.04 million, when compared to the second quarter of 2002. The increase in the value of sales remained relatively the same with increases in sales value of carrots (+85.1 per cent), lettuce (+54.3 per cent), mushrooms (+123.8 per cent) and green onions (+96.9 per cent) being offset by decreases in other main agricultural products such as cabbages (-53.5 per cent), cauliflowers (-25.9 per cent), dry onions (-37.6 per cent) and potatoes (-12.2 per cent). On average, fresh vegetable prices dropped by 8.5 per cent.

The value of fresh fruit when compared to the same quarter of 2001 increased by Lm0.1 million, or 40.8 per cent, to Lm0.4 million in the second quarter of 2002.

Although there were increases in the value of most of the fresh fruits, the increase mainly resulted in the rise in sales value of nectarines (+65.4 per cent), peaches (+96.6 per cent) and strawberries (+30.2 per cent).

The average price of total fresh fruit dropped by 5.4 per cent but as in the case of vegetables the percentage change in the quantity of fresh fruit supplied surpassed the percentage drop in average prices of fresh fruit.