The supply of fresh fruit and vegetables for the second quarter this year amounted to 13.1 million kilogrammes, an increase of 10.1 per cent over the second quarter last year, the National Statistics Office said.

It said that the wholesale value decreased by one per cent, from €5.6 million in the second quarter in 2010 to €5.5 million.

When compared to the second quarter last year, the supply of fresh vegetables rose by 8.9 per cent to 12 million kilogrammes. Increases were registered in the supply of cauliflowers (+42.5 per cent), sugar melons (+32.9 per cent), lettuce (+14.3 per cent) and potatoes (+12.6 per cent).

The supply of tomatoes and watermelons dropped by 18.4 and 10.7 per cent, respectively.

The wholesale value of fresh vegetables edged up by one per cent to €4.5 million.

Fresh fruit supply for the second quarter advanced by 25.7 per cent, mainly on account of an increase in the availability of peaches (+69.2 per cent) and strawberries (+7.2 per cent).

The wholesale value of fresh fruit dropped by 9.2 per cent to €1 million.

Maltese farmers supplied 12.1 million kilogrammes of fresh fruit and vegetables for a total wholesale value of €5 million.

Overall, farmers on the mainland contributed 92.4 per cent of the total amount of fruit and vegetables on the market.

Gozitan farmers supplied the remaining 7.6 per cent, one million kilograms of fresh fruit and vegetables. The wholesale value went up by 7.1 per cent over the comparative quarter last year.