An increase in the supply of fresh vegetables was registered in the second quarter this year but there was a drop in that of fresh fruit.

The National Statistics Office said the supply of fresh fruit and vegetables for the second quarter amounted to 12.6 million kilos, an increase of 5.1 per cent.

The wholesale value also advanced by 14 per cent, from €5.3 million in the second quarter in 2012 to €6.1 million this year.

The volume of fresh vegetables went up by 8.2 per cent to 11.8 million kilos over the comparative period in 2012.

Increases were registered in the supply of potatoes (+23.1 per cent), tomatoes (+11.2 per cent), lettuce (+7.4 per cent) and cabbages (+10.6 per cent). The wholesale value of fresh vegetables registered a growth of 12.9 per cent to €4.9 million.

The supply of fresh fruit dropped by 26.6 per cent, mainly on account of a decrease in the availability of strawberries (-32.2 per cent) and peaches (-17.5 per cent).

On the other hand, the wholesale value of fresh fruit increased by 19 per cent, to €1.2 million.

Maltese farmers supplied 11.6 million kilos of fresh fruit and vegetables, yielding €5.5 million. Farmers on the mainland contributed 92 per cent of the total amount of fruit and vegetables on the market.

Gozitan farmers supplied the remaining eight per cent, or one million kilos of fresh fruit and vegetables. The wholesale value rose by 12.3 per cent over the comparative period in 2012.

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