Springtime was the vibe this week for stores across the country. With the weather warming up, retailers shifted to specials on springtime favorite fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, lemons, and cantaloupes. Vegetables like asparagus, artichokes, corn, and radishes were popular as well. New crop items will soon be rolling in as local deals get underway. Texas 1015 onions have made it to market, and Georgia's Vidalia onions are not far behind. Daffodils and tulips were again plentiful in floral departments.
Total ad numbers this week were 288,391, a 4% increase from last week's total of 277,695. The total for the same week last year was 6% lower at 272,627. The total number of ads broken out by commodity groups: fruit 151,174 (55% of all ads), onions and potatoes 19,020 (7%), vegetables 106,471 (37%), and herbs 1,329. The number of ads for organic produce was 35,952, 12% of total ads.
The following are the prices of major advertised items (3,000 plus ads) this week, compared to the same week last year. Significant increases in price for fruit this week included seedless grapes (red at 48%, white at 34%), tangerines (3 lb. bag) at 22%, Pink Lady apples (3 lb. bag) at 21%, and lemons (2 lb. bag) at 12%. Significant decreases included pineapples (ea.) at 32%, Honeycrisp apples at 27%, Navel oranges (per lb.) at 21%, and strawberries (1 lb.) at 11%. There were no significant changes for potatoes and onions this week. Significant increases in price for vegetables this week included asparagus at 22% and red bell peppers at 17%. There were no significant decreases.
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Source: mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov