The volume and the wholesale value of fresh fruit and vegetables increased by 5.3 percent in the last three months of last year when compared to the corresponding period of 2007, the NSO said today.

It said volume of fresh fruit and vegetables at the official markets in the fourth quarter of 2008 advanced by 5.3 per cent to 8.8 million kilograms over the comparative period in 2007. Similarly, the wholesale value of fresh fruit and vegetables registered an increase of 5.3 per cent, from €4.44 million in the fourth quarter of 2007 to €4.67 million in the fourth quarter of 2008.

During the period under review, the supply of fresh vegetables went up by 5.5 per cent to 8.4 million kilograms, mainly on account of an increase in the supply of potatoes (+78.5 per cent), cabbages (+27.0 per cent), vegetable marrows (+27.1 per cent) and dry onions (+29.2 per cent).

On the other hand, the supply of tomatoes and cauliflowers declined by 12.9 and 9.1 per cent respectively.

he wholesale value of fresh vegetables supplied during this period rose by 5.3 per cent to €4.35 million. The supply and wholesale value of fresh fruit rose by 0.9 and 6.3 per cent respectively over the fourth quarter in 2007, with the wholesale value increasing from €0.31 million to €0.33 million, mainly on account of an increase in the wholesale value of strawberries, which advanced by 224.0 per cent.