Maximum Yield USA 2014 January | Page 28

MAX FACTS growing tips, news and trivia Produce Prices on the Rise The average price per pound of fresh produce in the United States for the 52-week period leading up to October was higher than that for the previous 52-week period. Sales of both fruit and vegetables were also up. According to data from FreshLook Marketing, the average price per pound of fruit for the period rose by 4.4% compared to the previous period. The top seller in the fruit category, berries, accounted for 18.4% of all fruit sales for that time period, and sales for berries rose by 7% when compared to the previous period. Similarly, the average price for a pound of vegetables rose by 3.6%. Lettuce was the largest seller, in terms of dollars in the vegetable category, and total sales for vegetables rose by 7% when compared to the previous period. Standing Pine Nursery is growing flowers and profits by experimenting with an irrigation (Source: freshplaza.com) system designed for field crops. This past summer, Geoff FV