Pear-a-rama: National Retail Report 11/9

From the USDA National Fruit and Vegetable Retail Report, issued today.


Pears continue to top overall activity. Vegetables continue to gain prominence.
The approaching Thanksgiving Day Holiday is the focus of most major retailers featuring items non-specific to the produce department. Features included baking goods, dinner items, fresh meats and poultry, and prepared meals. Several seasonal items are being promoted and included chestnuts, cranberries, hard squash, pomegranates and persimmons. An array of citrus also received significant display in some areas of the country and included domestic oranges and tangerines in consumer mesh bags along with clementines from Spain in gift boxes. Overall, there were more vegetable ads which accounted for 56 percent of the overall total. Tomatoes on the vine and asparagus topped the vegetable features. Significant increases in ad activity were noticed on baby carrots and cucumbers. Onions, potatoes, and sweet potatoes showed significant ad activity as well. Cauliflower, rutabagas, and bagged salad mixes, both organic and conventional, also were displayed in some parts of the country.
The top leading fruit ads were observed on apples, avocados, and pears. Bartlett pears were both the leading fruit and produce ad. Other pear varieties were additionally featured. Avocados was the second leading fruit feature as well as the second leading produce ad. Cranberry ads continue to increase each week and are expected to increase yet again next
week while grocers gear up for the upcoming holiday season. Blueberries reappeared as a sale feature with the start of the harvest in South America.