Now that the so-called "Dog Days" of Summer, the time when the year's hottest weather is expected, have passed, grocers are working hard to provide shoppers with all the basics plus a variety of extras to drive up store traffic. Locally grown produce remains widely advertised for a wide variety of items including melons, squash, tomatoes, greens, stone fruit, and more. School supplies also continue to be featured as more districts resume instruction each week.
Total ad numbers this week were 293,581, a 7% decrease from last week's 314,510. The total for the same week last year was 10% higher than for this year. The total number of ads broken out by commodity groups: fruit 172,729 (59% of all ads), onions and potatoes 12,448 (4%), vegetables 104,478 (39%), herbs 1646, ornamentals 779, and hemp 1501. The number of ads for organic produce was 47,847, 16% 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 pineapples at a whopping 61%, plums at 32%, both white and yellow flesh nectarines at 29%, yellow peaches and 1/2 gallon apple juice both at 26%, white flesh peaches at 25%, organic nectarines at 23%, cantaloupes 22%, organic peaches 21%, pint blueberries at 16% and seedless watermelon at 14%.
The only significant changes in price for onions and potatoes this week was a 22% increase for sweet yellow onions. Significant increases in price for vegetables this week included sweet corn at 32% and green bell peppers at 15%. There were no significant price decreases for any commodity group.
