Some shoppers report paying as much as $8 per pound of tomatoes
Tomato prices have become one of the clearest signs of rising living costs in the US, jumping 40% over the past year, according to the latest Consumer Price Index.
The price hike far outpaces increases in other grocery staples such as coffee, beef roasts, and frozen seafood.
Several factors have pushed prices higher. Experts point to a combination of extreme weather, higher transportation costs linked to the conflict with Iran, and new trade policies.
The US ended a long-standing agreement that allowed duty-free tomato imports from Mexico, the source of most tomatoes sold in America. Imported tomatoes now face a 17% tariff, adding to costs throughout the supply chain.
The impact is reaching both consumers and businesses. Some shoppers report paying as much as $8 per pound, while restaurants face sharply higher expenses. Snarf’s Sandwiches, which uses tomatoes in most of its menu items, says the cost of a case of tomatoes has risen from $27 to $93 in a year.
Economists expect prices to ease later this year as more US-grown tomatoes reach the market, though relief may take time.