Fresh vegetable prices dropped by over 20 per cent between the end of 2008 and the end of last year, according to the National Statistics Office.

A drop of 21.8 per cent was registered in the fresh vegetables price index, resulting from a general increase in the supply of fresh produce.

Lower producer prices were recorded for cauliflowers (-41.4 per cent), vegetable marrows (-49.9 per cent) and onions (-35.5 per cent).

The price of potatoes went up by 38 per cent due to a decrease in supply.

Fruit prices rose by 18.4 per cent to stand at 139.94 points on the producer price index. This was primarily due to more expensive citrus fruit (25.3 per cent).

The slaughtered animals' index went up by 1.7 per cent during the comparative period. Higher prices were registered for poultry (7.8 per cent) and rabbits (1.8 per cent).

On the other hand, the animal products index registered a decrease of six per cent on account of lower producer prices fetched for raw milk (-12.7 per cent). This decline was partly mitigated by an increase in egg prices (18.5 per cent).

The annual average producer price index for 2009 stood at 117.76 points, up by six per cent over 2008. This resulted from an increase in the producer price index of fresh vegetables (6.9 per cent), slaughtered animals (six per cent), forage (37.3 per cent) and potatoes (23.3 per cent).

Overall, the producer price index of fruits and animal products declined by 2.1 and 1.5 per cent respectively.