The point of reference for so many things in life is the historical record.
How is the crop maturing compared with last year? What is the rate of return for my IRA in the last year, compared with 2019? How are Walmart’s same-store sales in the latest quarter compared with a year ago?
It all comes down to comparisons.
In the last several months, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has begun to publish a new report, “Selected Weekly Fruit Movement and Price” that summarizes weekly movement and prices of fresh fruits. There is a corresponding report for fresh vegetables.
The report puts movement and prices in context with the same week a year ago.
This chart shows the price/movement pictures of apples since early May, according to USDA numbers. With big movement in August, apple prices began to climb for apples in relation to year-ago levels.
The average apple price for much of the last few months has been double-digit percentages lower than a year ago. That seemed to be changing, starting in August.
Here is a chart that illustrates that avocado prices are seriously lagging compared with 2019 levels.
A look at the fast-moving strawberry market...
A look at lettuce.. market perhaps helped by food box program?
