overview

Limited data on wholesale prices for organic produce are available from USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). The Market News Service of AMS has occasionally included wholesale prices for organic items in its daily wholesale fruit and vegetable reports, which cover terminal markets in 15 U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Dallas, and Seattle. Organic produce prices first appeared in the Boston and Philadelphia Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Report in 1992. Since then, Market News has occasionally reported organic prices in six other wholesale markets, but the Boston and San Francisco markets are the only ones for which organic prices are regularly reported. Reported prices reflect transactions by wholesalers for sales of less than a carload or truckload and for products that are of good quality and condition, unless otherwise noted.

feature

Recent Growth Patterns in the U.S. Organic Foods Market—As consumer interest in organic foods continues to gather momentum in the U.S., many firms are specializing in growing, processing, and marketing an ever-widening array of organic products. This report provides economic research on recent growth patterns in the U.S. organic sector, by market category, and a description of the marketing channels for major organic commodity groups. It summarizes USDA research, regulatory, and other ongoing programs on organic agriculture. AIB-777 (9/02)

media and naming convention

data files

Excel (.xls) format

All six organic wholesale price tables

Wholesale carrot prices, Boston 1995–2001
Wholesale mesclun mix prices, Boston 1995–2001
Wholesale broccoli prices, Boston 1999–2001
Wholesale fruit prices, Boston 1993–1998
Wholesale fruit prices, Boston 1999–2001
Wholesale vegetable prices, San Francisco 1999–2001

Lotus (workbook or .wk1) format

All six organic wholesale price tables

Wholesale carrot prices, Boston 1995–2001
Wholesale mesclun mix prices, Boston 1995–2001
Wholesale broccoli prices, Boston 1999–2001
Wholesale fruit prices, Boston 1993–1998
Wholesale fruit prices, Boston 1999–2001
Wholesale vegetable prices, San Francisco 1999–2001

updates

The next update of the organic wholesale price data series is expected to contain estimates for 2002. These estimates should appear in October 2003 as an update to this ERS data product.

glossary

Definitions used in these data are drawn from the final rule for the USDA's National Organic Program, administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service.

related resources

Organic Farming and Marketing Briefing Room
Organic Production data product

for more information, contact: Carolyn Dimitri
web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov
page updated: November 13, 2002