Fruit and vegetable wholesale value down by 11%

In the second quarter the volume of fresh fruit and vegetables edged up by 0.1%, whereas the wholesale value decreased by 11.4% compared to last year

The supply of fresh fruit and vegetables for the second quarter amounted to 12.6 million kg, an increase of 0.1%. On the other hand, the wholesale value dropped by 11.4%, from €6.1 million in the second quarter of 2013 to €5.4 million this year.

The volume of fresh vegetables supplied declined by 1.1 per cent to 11.7 million kg over the comparative period in 2013. Drops were registered in the supply of green onions (-44.3%), tomatoes (-12.8%) and potatoes (-9.6%). The wholesale value of fresh vegetables registered a decline of 14.2% to €4.2 million in the second quarter this year.

The supply of fresh fruit increased by 18.8%, mainly on account of a rise in the availability of peaches (+29.4%), lemons (+26.4%) and strawberries (+14%). Similarly, the wholesale value of fresh fruit increased marginally by 0.2% to €1.2 million.

Maltese farmers supplied 11.7 million kg of fresh fruit and vegetables, yielding €4.9 million. Overall Maltese farmers contributed 92.9% of the total amount of fruit and vegetables on the market.

Gozitan farmers supplied the remaining 7.1%, or 0.9 million kg, of fresh fruit and vegetables. The wholesale value decreased by 10.8% over the comparative period in 2013.