'Outstanding' quality at Mnarja exhibition

The market for local fresh produce was slowly stabilising and the government was closely monitoring the situation every day in order to determine whether it should implement the safeguard clause, Parliamentary Secretary Frans Agius said yesterday.

The clause, agreed in negotiations leading to EU membership, could be implemented only if the government had enough evidence of a big impact on the local market to the detriment of farmers and producers, Dr Agius said.

"Of course we are not expecting the farmer to go bankrupt, but we need to monitor the situation and have enough evidence before any request is submitted to the EU," he said.

"The evidence we have so far is that though the first month of EU membership saw a reduction of sales at the Pitkali, the market is now stabilising," he added.

Dr Agius was yesterday questioned on the matter during his visit to the annual traditional Mnarja agrarian show at Buskett where farmers and producers exhibited their fresh fruit and vegetables.

Roosters cock-a-doodle-dooed and competed for attention as Fr Gwann Azzopardi blessed the animals and fresh produce exhibited at the show, which is organised by the Agrarian Society for the annual Mnarja activity marking the feast of Saints Peter and Paul.

Society president Joseph Borg said this year the exhibits had been placed in 378 classes of fresh produce, livestock and fancy poultry.

Asked if farmers were disheartened following EU membership and whether this was reflected in the exhibits, Dr Borg said that this year the quality was outstanding.

"Rather than submitting three different products, the breeders and growers have preferred to submit one item of a very high quality. The reduction in exhibits was compensated with more people coming forward to exhibit - around 100 are taking part this year," he said.

Dr Borg said that for the first time this year the Rabat local council had entered the show on its own steam, exhibiting produce grown in the town's confines.

Only the Dingli local council had taken part before and Dr Borg called on more councils to come forward and participate in the show.

Malta Rabbit Club president Joseph Gauci Maistre said that this year's show also saw a record number of rabbits being entered, with a wide variety of breeds and sizes.

"I have been a judge for the past 17 years and I have never seen so many rabbits and so many different breeds," he said.

The prizes and trophies for the best exhibits will be presented by President Eddie Fenech Adami at Buskett today at noon.