US fresh produce dollar and volume sales saw larger increases in the second quarter of 2012 than the first, though average retail prices continued to fluctuate, according to the latest FreshFacts on Retail report from the United Fresh Foundation.
Fruits saw an overall increase in prices while vegetables saw a decrease, the report noted, with organic and value-added fruit and vegetable products sustaining significant dollar and volume growth compared with the second quarter last year.
Between fruits and vegetables, fruits accounted for the most significant growth in fresh produce dollar sales in the second quarter, with berries, cherries and avocados driving a 5.3 per cent increase compared with the same period last year.
Vegetables had an average retail price decrease of 2.7 per cent during the quarter, contributing to a slight 1.4 per cent decline in dollars and a 1.4 per cent increase in volume sales.
The report also found that eight of the top ten fruits and five of the top ten vegetables posted dollar sales that exceeded Q2 2011, while recording that berries, cherries and avocados were the primary drivers of both dollar and volume growth in the fruit category.
The FreshFacts on Retail report, produced in partnership with the Nielsen Perishables Group and sponsored by Del Monte Fresh Produce, measures retail price and sales trends for the top 10 fruit and vegetable commodities, as well as value-added, organic and other produce categories.
No comments yet