Ad flyers this week held an air of excitement, as a few big retail holidays are nearing. In the US, Super Bowl Sunday is a little over a week away, and already stores are filled with necessities such as avocados, cilantro, tomatoes, limes, lemons, and all sorts of fruit and vegetable snack trays. The Lunar New Year was observed on January 29, ushering in the Year of the Snake along with specials on favorites like bok choy, Chinese cabbage, oranges, Gala and Fuji apples, apple pears, tangerines, grapes, and pomelos. Valentine's Day is still 2 weeks away, but Cupid has already been making the rounds. Stores are brimming with bunched and potted flowers, candy, cards, and bakery items. Typical Valentine's Day staples like strawberries, cherries, and raspberries were popular this week.
Total ad numbers this week were 268,202, about steady from last week's total of 268,583. The total for the same week last year was 3% higher at 276,686. The total number of ads broken out by commodity groups: fruit 130,350 (49%), onions and potatoes 31,755 (12%), vegetables 101,660 (38%), herbs 1,536, ornamentals 1,489, and hemp 2,948. The number of ads for organic produce was 34,027, 13% 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 Navel oranges (per lb.) at 34% and white seedless grapes at 10%. Significant decreases included blackberries (5.6-6 oz.) at 16% and Gala apples (3 lb. bag) at 14%.
Significant changes in price for onions and potatoes this week included only a 19% increase for yellow potatoes (5 lb. bag). Significant increases in price for vegetables this week included long seedless cucumbers at 34% and broccoli crowns (per lb.) at 10%. Decreases included only Iceberg lettuce (each) at 11%.
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