With the festive season at hand, retailers filled shelves with everything shoppers needed for their celebrations. Pineapples and avocados were the most advertised fruits this week, while asparagus and Brussels sprouts topped the vegetable list.
Sunny winter citrus, offshore cherries, and mangos brightened up dull winter days. Carrots, broccoli, cabbage, potatoes, and greens helped ward off the deep freeze spreading across the country. Lemons were well-advertised for seafood feasts. Packaged salads, tomatoes, and cucumbers were popular for green salads served with hearty roasting meats.
Total ad numbers this week were 289,382, a 2% increase from last week's total of 284,414. The total for the same week last year was 11% higher than for this year. The total number of ads broken out by commodity groups: fruit 150,799 (52% of all ads), onions and potatoes 25,281 (9%), vegetables 104,880 (36%), herbs 521, ornamentals 7,314 (3%), and hemp 587. The number of ads for organic produce was 26,854, 9% 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 Granny Smith apples at 30%, apple juice at 16%, pineapples at 11%, and tangerines (3 lb. bag) at 10%. Significant decreases included only avocados at 11%. Significant increases in price for potatoes and onions this week included only Russet potatoes (5 lb bag) at 21%.
There were no significant decreases. Significant increases in price for vegetables included sweet potatoes at 26%, packaged salad (5-9 oz) at 16%, celery at 13%, and Brussels sprouts at 13%. Significant decreases included only packaged salad (10-12 oz) at 13%.
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Source: mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov