Why fresh tomato prices have skyrocketed, how fuel prices and other factors could keep them high
New inflation data shows that fresh tomatoes, the star ingredient in an array of dishes from salads to sandwiches, are skyrocketing in price.
In the past year, prices have increased on an array of foods, with groceries up nearly 2% in March, compared to last year, and fruits and vegetables up 4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Tomatoes specifically are at a high point, with prices surging nearly 23% over this time last year, according to the agency.
Fresh tomatoes currently cost an average of $2.26 per pound, the highest in eight years, BLS data shows.
One key factor behind the price hike is tariffs.
The vast majority of fresh tomatoes consumed by Americans are imported from Mexico, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Tariffs on Mexican imports remain steep, at 17%, and the U.S. imports more during the winter and spring.
Prices could keep rising, since tomatoes are transported across the country on trucks that run on diesel fuel. Prices of diesel are quickly approaching an all-time high amid the conflict in Iran, closing in on the 2022 record of $5.80 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
