Retailers enthusiastically prepared for the Cinco de Mayo rush this week. Avocados, mangos, limes, sweet onions, cilantro, jalapeños, Roma tomatoes, watermelons, and cucumbers were highly featured and were often found together in promotional Cinco de Mayo sections. Conventional and organic strawberries were heavily advertised ahead of Mother's Day and just in time for the Kentucky Derby. New crop California cherries made their first appearance, heralding the beginning of tree fruit season. Georgia blueberries also arrived in stores this week, another indicator of summer around the corner.
Total ad numbers this week were 265,171 a 10% decrease from last week's total of 294,443. The total for the same week last year was 5% lower at 252,964. The total number of ads broken out by commodity groups: fruit 136,155 (51% of all ads), onions and potatoes 22,074 (8%), vegetables 100,254 (38%), herbs 6,396 (3%). The number of ads for organic produce was 26,836, 10% 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. There were no significant increases in price for fruit this week. Significant decreases included only limes (ea.) at 17%. Significant changes in price for potatoes and onions this week included only a 12% increase for yellow sweet onions (per lb.). Significant increases in price for vegetables this week included green onions at 39%, cilantro at 23%, jalapeño peppers at 21%, Roma tomatoes at 19%, and zucchini at 10%. Significant decreases included long seedless cucumbers at 18% and orange bell peppers (ea.) at 10%.
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Source: mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov