Farmers make more from fruit and vegetables

Farmers' income from the sale of fruit and vegetables at the Pitkalija market in 2002 increased by 6.4 per cent over the previous year, to Lm7.8 million, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Ninu Zammit said.

In under a year farmers and herdsmen had also received more than Lm3.4 million in direct aid from the government.

Mr Zammit, who was addressing farmers in Rabat on Wednesday, said the figures did not include the money derived from potato exports. Farmers had received an average of more than Lm14 per qantar over the last three years, 40 per cent more than the Lm10 they had received under a Labour government.

Mr Zammit said that contrary to the baseless promises made by Labour leader Alfred Sant, it had been agreed that farmers would pay a preferential three per cent tax on sales in the coming year.

Through this reform, farmers' income up to Lm7,200 would not be taxed.

Direct or indirect assistance to farmers for restructuring was not taxable, he added.