Tomato prices in the United States may increase due to new tariffs on Mexican imports, impacting restaurant, grocery, and household expenditures. The U.S. Commerce Department announced a 20.91% tariff on most Mexican tomato imports starting July 14, ending a 2019 suspension of earlier penalties. The department noted, "The current agreement has failed to protect U.S. tomato growers from unfairly priced Mexican imports."
Mexico supplies nearly 90% of U.S. tomato imports, with Canada as a secondary supplier, covering 13% of imports. Tomatoes are widely consumed in the U.S., with an average of 31.4 pounds per person annually, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Florida Tomato Exchange highlights that U.S. market share has fallen to just over 30%, with Mexico controlling over 65%, and states like Florida and California covering a significant portion of the U.S. fresh-tomato acreage.
Florida Tomato Exchange's executive vice president, Robert Guenther, commented, "Unless we even the playing field in terms of fair pricing, you're not going to have a domestic industry for fresh tomatoes in the very near future."
Mexico aims to negotiate the tariffs, citing unfair pricing claims. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum remarked, "There is no substitute for Mexican tomatoes in the U.S., except perhaps a small percentage that comes mainly from Florida."
Source: Good Men Project