Households expenditure on food in the domestic market reached €606.6 million last year, according to statistics published by the National Statistics Office on the occasion of World Food Week and World Food Day 2010, being celebrated tomorrow.

This year, the day's theme is: "United against hunger".

In 2009, food expenditure was estimated to have dropped by 3.9 per cent, to €606.6 million, over 2008. The share of household expenditure on food was estimated at 15.1 per cent of total private final expenditure in the domestic market.

Household spending was less on fish, bread and cereals, and meat.

These dropped by €12.1 million, €5.7 million and €5 million, respectively, when compared to 2008.

There was an increase in expenditure on vegetables and dairy products - of 2.3 per cent and 0.6 per cent, respectively.

In 2009, food inflation on the 12-month moving average basis was highest in respect of vegetables, sugar, and flour and bakery products.

Current figures for 2009 put the value of imported foodstuffs at €387.4 million, a drop of 12.7 per cent when compared to 2008.

The biggest decreases were recorded in fish (-45.5 per cent) and cereals (-25.4 per cent). Malta's food exports had an estimated value of €69.6 million, a decrease of 57 per cent when compared to 2008.