The Organic Produce Network (OPN) has released its “State of Organic Produce 2022” Report, concluding:
• "While total organic produce sales increased by 3% and volume decreased by −3.7% year over year, the performance of the top 20 categories was quite variable as inflation and other pressures created a dynamic market environment."
• "The best performers in terms of year-over-year sales increases were onions (15.4%), cucumbers (11.3%), and potatoes (10.7%), while the worst performers were lettuce (−3.1%), celery (−2.3%), and bell peppers (−2.1%)."
• "On the volume side, the best-performing organic commodities year over year were grapes (6.9%), herbs and spices (6.5%), and cucumbers (2.7%), while the weakest were lettuce (−12.7%), avocados (−11.4%), and apples (−10.3%)."
• "The three bottom year-over-year volume performers all had significant contributing factors beyond inflation. Lettuce suffered aphid pressure in the desert due to warmer temperatures in Q1 and Q2 and was later dealt a devastating blow by INSV (impatiens necrotic spot virus) in the Salinas Valley in the fall/early winter; avocados had a lower-than-normal volume out of Mexico in the first half of the year; and apple supply was impacted by a very small Washington crop."
• "Two categories that bucked the organic produce sector’s overall trend of increased sales and decreased volume were fresh herbs and spices and grapes. Both categories posted year-over-year increases in sales and volume, with organic herbs and spices showing gains of 4.1% and 6.5%, respectively, and organic grapes showing respective gains of 8.3% and 6.9%. In short, last year’s highly inflationary environment wasn’t able to keep these two categories down."
• "When it came to the top spot by total retail sales, berries took the lead in 2022, edging out packaged salads ever so slightly with $1.561 billion in sales (packaged salad sales totaled $1.556 billion). Bananas held on to their spot as the top volume mover with nearly 509 million pounds sold at retail in 2022."
