<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;line-height:130%"> Washington, DC</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By Jordan Okumura<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">03.08.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>The fourth quarter of 2012 posted strong gains for fresh produce compared to last year with a strong performance by berries driving the gains. The increases in average retail price did not negatively affect volume sales for fruits or other produce and actually resulted in a boost in dollar sales, according to the latest edition of FreshFacts® on Retail, the quarterly retail research report of the United Fresh Foundation in partnership with the Nielsen Perishables Group.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Organic and value-added fruits and vegetables continued to grow with strong showings in dollar sales and volume. Vegetables saw sales dollar declines paired with steady volumes. The average retail price for fruits increased 6.1%, but had little effect on overall volume sales. Fruit dollar sales posted a 9.2% increase and volume posted a 3% increase.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Eight of the top 10 fruits posted volume increases that exceeded the same period last year with six of the top 10 fruit categories increasing in dollar sales by double digits when compared to the same period last year. Berries, avocados and melons increased dollar sales and volume by double digits.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Packaged salads along with squash/pumpkins were the only top 10 vegetables to post an increase in dollar sales. Value-added fruits increased dollar and volume sales by 12.9% and 7.5%, respectively. Fresh cut fruit accounted for more than two-thirds of value-added fruit dollar share, the report states.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Value-added vegetables increased dollar sales by 6.2% and volume increased 7.9% for the quarter. Side dishes accounted for more than 50% of value-added vegetable sales.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Organic fruits increased dollar sales 23.2%. Organic vegetables increased dollar sales 11.9%.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">It’s good to know that fresh produce consumption is on the up and up!</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www2.unitedfresh.org/forms/store/ProductFormPublic/search?action=1&Product_productNumber=2060" target="_new"> United Fresh </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
