The March Consumer Price Index (CPI) for fresh fruits in the United States is slightly up by 0.2%, a recent USDA report said. The CPI provides an indication of general retail prices.

Lower apple and banana retail prices in early 2024 provided a moderating influence on the fresh fruit CPI.

The apple CPI was down 10% in February as well, with fresh apple volume in storage surpassing the 5-year average.

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Apples and bananas are two of the most heavily weighted prices in the fresh fruit Consumer Price Index, together accounting for about 27% of the index relative importance. This is roughly the same as all citrus fruit categories, which account for 28%. 

In January and February, banana imports from main suppliers like Guatemala, Costa Rica and Ecuador were higher year-on-year. This prompted a 3.4 and 2.5% drop in average retail prices.

Strawberries saw a similar situation. Despite lower domestic volumes, higher Mexican supplies caused prices to decrease from $3.17 per 12-ounce pint in 2023 to $3.05 in February.

Overall larger supplies of oranges also lowered prices. February retail prices for navel oranges were $1.53 per pound, a 1.1% decrease year-on-year.