The National Statistics Office has confirmed a sharp rise in the price of fruit and vegetables in the third quarter of this year.

Prices of fresh vegetables soared by 23.4 percent with tomatoes up by 68.3 per cent, sugar melons by 12.1 per cent, watermelons by 16.6 per cent and mushrooms by 6.4 per cent. The price of potatoes rose by 66.4 per cent.

The fresh fruit price index stood at 101.6 points, an increase of 32.3 per cent when compared to the same period last year mainly due to a drop in the supply of grapes and peaches, whose prices increased by 67.3 per cent and 18.6 per cent respectively.

In contrast, the animals index declined by 1.8 per cent as lower prices were fetched for slaughtered bulls (-8.0 per cent) and pigs (-5.0 per cent). Prices for slaughtered cows and rabbits rose marginally by 0.4 per cent and 1.0 per cent respectively.

The animal products index rose by 6.2 per cent solely on account of a higher price fetched for milk (+8.5 per cent), while the price of eggs remained unchanged.

The NSO also reported a 7.8 percent rise in the price of animal feed, and an increase of 4.6 per cent in maintenance costs.