Produce supply jumps in October

By Adel Fruean 08 December 2021, 5:52PM

The availability of agricultural produce rose by 13 per cent at local markets in October compared to the month prior, newly released figures show.

The new figures are based on a month-on-month comparison of the supply of local produce at markets conducted in a Samoa Bureau of Statistics monthly market survey. 

“Significant increases were recorded for the majority of agricultural produce with the exception of banana, breadfruit, yam and Chinese cabbage,” the report reads.

But on an annual basis supply fell significantly, when compared to the availability of produce in October 2020. 

“The current supply was 26 percent lower,” the bureau wrote. 

"Increased availability in the overall supply of most agricultural produce led to the decline of nine per cent in the overall price level as prices for most of the agricultural produce decreased with the exception of banana, breadfruit and Chinese cabbage.

"When compared with October 2020, the current overall price level was 8 per cent higher."

The Bureau revealed that 250 sellers in local markets were surveyed in October 2021 which the numbers decreased by seven per cent from the previous month and was 20 per cent lower when compared with the number of sellers in the same month a year ago.

The local market survey measures the price and volume of selected agricultural produce from the local markets at Fugalei, Taufusi, Vaitele, Lotopa, Ululoloa, Afega, Saleimoa, Savaia, Vaoala, Faatoia and Salelologa every month. Prices for selected produce are taken from the Consumer Price Index. 

The report states that the average value of selected produce supplied to the local markets stood at $60,700 in October 2021, increasing by 7 per cent from the previous month but 21 percent lower when compared with the same month last year. 

“Pumpkin supplies contributed the most to the total value of produce surveyed with a share of 53 per cent in October 2021; a level that was lower than 56 per cent in September 2021 but was higher than 49 per cent in October 2020,” the report says. 

“Taro supplies followed with a 15 per cent contribution to total value, increasing from 11 per cent in the previous month but were lower than 26 percent in the same month a year ago.

“Tomato contributed 8 per cent to total value increasing from 7 per cent in the previous month and 3 per cent in the same month last year, while coconut supplies accounted for 7 per cent of total value remained unchanged from last month but were higher than 4 per cent in the same month last year.”

Cucumber supplies accounted for 6 per cent of total value, it remained unchanged from last month but were higher than 4 per cent in the same month a year ago, while supplies of head cabbage contributed 5 per cent to total value decreasing from 6 per cent in the previous month and 7 per cent in the same month last year.

“Banana, which accounted for 3 per cent of the total value of supplies, dropped its share from 4 per cent in the previous month and the same month last year,” the bureau found. 

“Chinese cabbage accounted for 2 per cent of total value and remained unchanged from the previous month but was higher than 1 per cent in the same month a year ago. Other crops such as yam, ta’amu and breadfruit recorded lower shares in the month under review.” 

 

By Adel Fruean 08 December 2021, 5:52PM
Samoa Observer

Upgrade to Premium

Subscribe to
Samoa Observer Online

Enjoy unlimited access to all our articles on any device + free trial to e-Edition. You can cancel anytime.

>