Brocoli Prices in the United States from 2020 to 2025

2020

• Retail Price: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an average retail price for fresh broccoli of $1.971 per pound in March 2020. This reflects consumer-level pricing in urban areas.

• Producer Price: The USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) doesn’t provide a specific 2020 producer price, but imported fresh broccoli from Mexico averaged $0.48 per pound ($1.05 per kg), indicating a lower wholesale cost that year.

• Context: Production was robust, with 804,302 tons grown domestically, mostly in California (90.4%). Imports from Mexico supplemented supply, keeping prices stable despite seasonal demand spikes toward year-end.

2021

• Producer Price: The USDA ERS data shows the season-average price for fresh broccoli at $46.00 per cwt ($0.46 per pound) and $19.40 per cwt for processing broccoli, though this reflects a broader average. Production value dipped to $719 million, suggesting some price pressure from a 32.3% drop in domestic output over five years.

• Retail Price: Specific monthly retail data isn’t fully available, but ProducePay notes that prices rose in late 2021 due to demand exceeding California and Mexico’s combined supply, likely pushing retail costs above 2020’s $1.971 per pound.

• Context: U.S. production fell to 700,920 tonnes, increasing reliance on Mexican imports (524.9 million pounds), which may have nudged prices up late in the year.

2022

• Producer Price: The USDA ERS pegs the price per unit for fresh and processing broccoli at $71.30 per cwt ($0.713 per pound) in 2023, but 2022 saw a sharp increase late in the year. FreshPlaza reports conventional broccoli hit $42.70 per 20-lb carton ($2.14 per pound) in Salinas-Watsonville due to reduced U.S. production, while Mexican imports reached $33.93 per carton ($1.70 per pound).

• Retail Price: Statista and USDA data suggest per capita consumption held at 5.2 pounds, with retail prices likely averaging around $2.55 per pound by year-end, reflecting supply shortages.

• Context: Domestic production was 258,349 tons, with Mexico supplying 290,819 tons. Water shortages in California and late-year production declines drove prices higher.

2023

• Producer Price: The USDA ERS confirms $71.30 per cwt ($0.713 per pound) for fresh and processing broccoli, a notable jump from prior years. Production value reached $814.9 million.

• Retail Price: Early 2025 cite a 2023 retail average of $2.55 per pound, aligning with anecdotal reports of sustained high prices from late 2022.

• Context: Imports from Mexico grew to 206,915 tons by August (up 7% from 2022), but domestic supply constraints kept prices elevated.

2024

• Producer Price: No exact 2024 figure is available yet, but the USDA’s Food Price Outlook (February 2025) predicts a 3.3% increase in food-at-home prices for 2025 from 2024, suggesting 2024 producer prices might hover around $73.60 per cwt ($0.736 per pound), assuming a similar trend.

• Retail Price: Extrapolating from 2023’s $2.55 per pound and applying the ERS’s 1.9% food-at-home CPI increase from January 2024 to January 2025, 2024’s retail average could be around $2.60 per pound, with seasonal peaks possibly higher.

• Context: Global demand grew, and Mexico’s production rose to 632,258 tonnes in 2022, likely stabilizing supply into 2024. California’s ongoing water issues suggest continued import reliance.

2025

• Producer Price: With the ERS forecasting a 3.3% rise in food-at-home prices for 2025 (range: -0.2% to 7.0%), producer prices could climb to $76.00–$78.50 per cwt ($0.76–$0.785 per pound), factoring in inflation and supply trends.

• Retail Price: Starting from 2024’s estimated $2.60 per pound, a 3.3% increase suggests $2.69 per pound, though the prediction interval allows $2.59–$2.79. On March 5, 2025, list broccoli at $2.55 per pound, possibly reflecting early-year or regional data, but I’d estimate closer to $2.70 nationally by mid-2025.

• Context: The Trump administration’s border policies have reduced illegal crossings but not legal trade, so Mexican imports should continue supporting supply. Weather, water availability, and consumer demand will influence fluctuations.

Trends and Insights

• Price Trajectory: Prices rose steadily from $1.971 per pound (2020 retail) to an estimated $2.70 per pound (2025 retail), driven by declining U.S. production, higher import reliance, and inflation.

• Unexpected Factor: The dramatic late-2022 price spike (up to $2.14 per pound producer-side) due to California’s water woes was a turning point, shifting the market toward higher baseline costs.

• Critical Note: These figures blend retail and producer data, with retail prices typically higher due to markups. 

Here’s the estimated average retail price of broccoli per pound in the U.S. from 2020 to 2025, based on the analysis I provided earlier: