Global: Summertime sadness strikes produce markets

Produce markets repeat history with a week defined by declining prices. This week marks the beginning of the summer doldrums—a six-week period in which produce prices wilt along with the rest of us in the summer heat.The ProduceIQ price index is down -3 percent from the previous week. Decreases in heavily weighted commodities like strawberries, cherries, and avocados are dragging the average price, albeit a bit begrudgingly, back toward earth. Only 2022 surpassed this year in produce prices.ProduceIQ Index: $1.27/pound, up -3.1 percent over prior weekWeek #27, ending July 7thBlue Book has teamed with ProduceIQ BB #:368175 to bring the ProduceIQ Index to its readers. The index provides a produce industry price benchmark using 40 top commodities to provide data for decision making.Extreme heat in Mexico and Peru is pushing asparagus prices to a ten-year high. On average, prices are up +9 percent over the previous week in the West.Reported import volumes from Mexico and Peru have ...