Organic fresh produce sold at retail in the second quarter of 2023 grew 1.5% in dollars and 0.8% in volume compared with the same period a year ago.
The organic performance data from April 8 to July 1 was published by Organic Produce Network and Category Partners, powered by NielsenIQ.
The total produce department during the quarter was rated 2% higher in sales but 1.2% lower in volume compared with a year ago, according to the report.
“Both conventional and organic produce still follow inflationary trends, but the price increase in each segment was less compared to the past two years,” the report said.
The conventional produce average price per pound grew by 3.2% compared with a year ago, while the organic produce average price per pound rose by 0.8%, according to the report.
Berries led the quarter as the top organic produce category in dollars, the report said, while organic citrus fruits posted a 19.4% dollar and 23.3% volume increase in the quarter.
According to the report, four top-performing organic categories declined in their average price per pound. Organic avocados led this price drop by posting a 22.4% decline in their average price per pound over the previous year.
With a gain of 0.8%, total organic produce in the second quarter broke away from the trend of volume loss that 2021 and 2022 witnessed, the report said.
“Current trends indicate that organic produce is experiencing higher growth in both dollars and volume compared to its conventional counterparts,” the report said. “To [complement] that, organic dollar’s rate of growth, while still positive, slowed compared to past years giving volume a chance to match that growth. This shift suggests that inflation, while still evident, was not as apparent in organic produce as it was in conventional produce during this past quarter.”
