Retailers across the United States offered three- and four-day Labor Day promotions this week. Advertisements focused on late summer fruit and produce for family gatherings, with watermelons, cantaloupes, corn, potatoes, sweet onions, colored bell peppers, and avocados widely featured.
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Labor Day also marked the transition from summer to autumn, with stores highlighting peaches, nectarines, plums, and grapes alongside the first pumpkins and hard squashes. Potted chrysanthemums appeared in most weekly flyers.
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Total ad numbers this week reached 311,059, an increase of 6% compared to 293,165 the previous week. For the same period last year, ad totals were 300,368, 4% lower. By commodity group, fruit accounted for 188,720 ads (61%), onions and potatoes 22,309 (7%), vegetables 88,018 (28%), herbs 593, ornamentals 4,643, hemp 3,315, and honey 4,054. Ads for organic produce totaled 39,177, representing 13% of all advertisements.
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Price comparisons with the same week last year showed increases in several fruit categories. Pink Lady apples rose 24% per pound, plums 19% per pound, avocados 19% each, apple juice (64 oz.) 16%, yellow peaches 15% per pound, white peaches 12% per pound, and red seedless grapes 11%. There were no notable price decreases for fruit.
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Prices for potatoes and onions showed no major changes compared to last year. In vegetables, no significant price increases were reported. Corn decreased 21% compared to the same period last year.
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