The volume of fresh fruit and vegetables sold through official markets in the third quarter declined by 4.2 per cent but the wholesale value increased by 3.4 per cent, when compared to the corresponding quarter last year.

The supply of fresh fruit and vegetables in the third quarter amounted to 12.1 million kilograms; a decline of 4.2 per cent over the comparative period in 2012.

In contrast, the wholesale value increased by 3.4 per cent to €4.8 million.

The volume of fresh vegetables fell by 3.1 per cent to 11.4 million kilograms over the comparative period last year.

Contributors to this outcome were declines in the supply of watermelons (-12.1 per cent), sugar melons (-13.8 per cent), dry onions (-11.9 per cent) and vegetable marrows (-6.8 per cent).

On the other hand, the wholesale value of fresh vegetables rose by four per cent to €4.1 million.

The supply of fresh fruit dropped by 18.9 per cent, mainly due to a decrease in the availability of peaches (-17.4 per cent) and grapes (-16.6 per cent).

Similarly, the wholesale value of fresh fruit declined marginally by 0.1 per cent to €0.7 million.

Maltese farmers supplied 10.3 million kilograms of fresh fruit and vegetables, yielding €4 million.

Their produce accounted for 85.1 per cent of the total supply of fresh fruit and vegetables during the period under review.

Gozitan farmers supplied the remaining 14.9 per cent of total supply, amounting to 1.8 million kilograms. The wholesale value advanced by 17.9 per cent to €0.7 million.