A new report says the U.S. organic produce sector grew its sales by 3% in 2022, but volume slipped as food prices forced consumers to pay more for grocery store staples.
The annual State of Organic Produce report from the Organic Produce Network shows a 3.7% volume decrease last year. Overall produce sales, including conventional and organic, increased 7.3% on the year, but volume fell 1.3%.
Organic produce sales in the U.S. topped $9.4 billion in 2022, with berries and packaged salads being the most profitable options with sales topping $1.56 billion and $1.55 billion respectively. Organic onion sales grew 15.4%, the biggest increase in the report followed by cucumbers (11.3%) and potatoes (10.7%).
Herbs and spices, and grapes were the only crops to increase by both sales and volume.
Don’t miss a beat! It’s easy to sign up for a FREE month of Agri-Pulse news! For the latest on what’s happening in Washington, D.C. and around the country in agriculture, just click here.
Cucumbers led the price premium percentage report, with organic prices 138% higher than conventional counterparts. Celery stayed on the opposite end of the spectrum, with the lowest premium of 22%, declining from 32% in 2021.
The Organic Produce Report highlights 20 of the leading category performers in organic produce.
For more news, go to www.Agri-Pulse.com.
