ERS Vegetable and Melon Report

Find the Oct. 25 USDA Economic Research Service report on vegetables and melons here.

Some highlights:

Fresh vegetables: Retail prices for fresh-market vegetables averaged 3 percent above a year earlier through the first 9 months of 2007. Prices for lettuce, broccoli, and other vegetables each averaged higher than during the initial 3 quarters of 2006.Assuming average weather this fall, fresh-market retail prices during October- December 2007 are expected to increase from a year earlier.

Melons: Wholesale prices for melon crops have averaged 14 percent above a year earlier during the first 9 months of 2007. Higher prices during the spring and late fall shipping seasons outweighed lower prices in late spring and summer. Melon area for harvest is expected to decline 7 percent this fall to 15,200 acres due to reduced cantaloup and honeydew area in California and Arizona. According to USDA’s Market News Service (Market News), national mid-October advertised retail prices for cantaloup averaged $2 per melon, with seedless watermelon selling for $3.99 each.

Potatoes: With moderate demand for processed products decreasing fresh table potato supply, consumer prices for all fresh-market potatoes (russet, white, and red) averaged 3 percent above a year earlier through the first 9 months of 2007. Although total potato supplies have been slightly larger, improved demand has kept processed potato prices higher, with wholesale prices for frozen potato products (largely french fries) rising 8 percent during January-September 2007. However, given continued good demand for potato products and minor change in fall potato production, retail prices for potatoes and potato products are likely to remain strong over the coming months.

Sweet potatoes: During the first 9 months of 2007, wholesale prices for U.S. freshmarket
sweet potatoes averaged 11 percent above a year earlier due to dwindling stocks and good demand. According to Market News, national mid-October advertised retail prices for sweet potatoes averaged $0.83 per pound.