HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION OF FRUIT INCREASED IN APRIL WHEREAS VEGETABLES FELL

The household consumption of fruit during the month of April increased by 1.4% with a total of 362.1 million kilos consumed, whereas consumption of vegetables and potatoes fell back by 5% to a total of 233,629 tonnes and potatoes decreased by 12% with a total of 84,891 tonnes consumed, according to data published in the Food Consumption Panel of the Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs (MARM).

the same period last year, spending on potatoes also fell by 11%, whereas vegetables experienced an 8% increase.

The main fruits consumed were oranges, apples, bananas and strawberries. There was an increase in consumption compared to April 2009 of oranges (+1.5%) and bananas (+11%) while apples fell by (-1%) and strawberries by (-12%).

In terms of vegetable consumption, the most popular vegetable during the month of April was the tomato, which experienced a slight decrease in relation to the same period in 2009 to total 44,450 tonnes (-3%) and the onion also fell (-8%) to total 27,598 tonnes.

FEPEX has seen a continuation of the recovery of household fruit consumption during the month of April according to first quarter figures. Although household consumption of vegetables has also increased, the amount of expenditure fell during April due mainly to the rise in prices as a result of the fall in production bought about by the bad weather conditions.