Tomato prices jump in Canada and the United States amid weather pressures, war, and tariffs

Toronto —
Tomatoes have become a new symbol of the food price crisis in Canada and the United States, after sharp increases made them one of the most expensive food items in recent months.

In Canada, tomato prices rose by 21% in April compared to last year, the highest annual increase among the food items measured by the Consumer Price Index. In the United States, prices jumped by about 40% over one year.

Experts say the increase is not due to a single factor, but to a combination of several pressures, including bad weather in production areas, crop declines in Florida and Mexico, reduced supply, and rising transportation, fertilizer, and fuel costs due to tensions in the Middle East.

US tariffs on Mexican tomatoes also contributed to market disruption, as some producers reduced cultivation, increasing pressure on available supplies in North America.

In Canada, prices were also affected by weak production in some greenhouses during winter, due to low light and cold weather, at a time when Canadian markets rely on imports from the United States and Mexico during winter and spring.

The effects of the increase are evident on consumers and restaurants, with several Canadians expressing shock at prices inside stores, while some restaurants decided to temporarily remove tomatoes from their dishes until costs decrease.

In St. John's, a restaurant owner said the cost of a box of tomatoes rose from $30 to $68, prompting him to stop using them in some dishes such as sandwiches, nachos, and quesadillas.

Price data indicate that some Canadian cities record high levels, including St. John's, Ottawa, Moncton, Halifax, and Toronto, where prices for some varieties exceeded seven or eight dollars per kilogram.

Despite this increase, experts expect prices to start declining during the summer with the start of the local harvest season in Canada, but they note that the extent of the decrease will depend on the strength of local production and the stability of transportation and energy costs.

The tomato crisis reflects the fragility of food supply chains, where weather, trade, wars, and energy costs can quickly turn into a direct burden on daily grocery bills.