Kitchen

[CrazyKittyLvr2]

Was just on ABC news they could go up by as much as 70%.  I need to plant some next year.

[Sweetbay magnolia]

I am getting ready to start seeds but it will be awhile before they come in (I start them outside so I have to make sure it's reliably warm enough).

What reason was cited?  I hadn't heard this.

[chessylady]

I planted four tomato plants last month and the Early Girl already has a tiny tomato on it. I live in the Sacramento area, one of the best places in California for growing tomatoes, hence the name Sacratomato.

[lmt]

Tomato prices could spike as U.S. ends agreement with Mexico

Tomato prices could take off as the U.S. withdraws from a pact with its top supplier, Mexico.

The so-called Tomato Suspension Agreement expired on Tuesday, triggering duties of more than 17% on supplies crossing into the U.S. from Mexico. The decision was made in part to protect growers in Florida.

Tomato growers in the Latin American country now need to pay collateral to cover the cost of the duties before they are able to export to the U.S., Mexico’s economy ministry said in a statement Tuesday. That could mean more than $350 million in extra costs for producers — fees many small and medium-size exporters probably will be unable to bear, the statement said.

“It’s a win for our group,” Michael Schadler, executive vice president of the trade association Florida Tomato Exchange, said by telephone. He said tomatoes from Mexico sold below the U.S. cost of production make it hard for Florida growers to compete.

Prices for tomato imports jumped when the move was announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce on Feb. 6, and will probably increase again to account for the duties, according to David Magana, a senior analyst at Rabobank International.
The tariffs could “impact prices in the U.S. in a matter of days,” Magana said in an email Monday.

U.S. tomato retail prices could climb by 40% to as much as 85%, with the bigger gains likely coming in the October-June period, according to a study by Arizona State University. The study was commissioned by the Fresh Produce Assn. of the Americas.
On April 26, the average cost had fallen to about 98 cents a pound, the lowest since October, the most recent government data show.

[chrystaltree]

And it's just the beginning.......  

[Sweetbay magnolia]

And then there'll be a natural disaster in Florida and then I'll really need my plants.

I've often expressed the belief to my friends (who bear with my "crazy" ideas) that it is important they know how to grow tomatoes. And other things.

Thanks for the info, @lmt .

[PA Mom-mom]

@CrazyKittyLvr2 Almost everyone can grow tomatoes if they have 6-8 hours of sun. You can grow in a large pot on your patio. Mexico is possibly not going to be as much of a source of tomatoes for the next little while. The good news is we are going into tomato growing season here in the USA! Check out your local farmer's market if you don't have any growing space.

[Snowpuppy]

Agreed, they are so very easy to grow. Even on a porch or patio.

I live rural so everyone here grows their own. It's rare I buy tomatoes in season as people bring them into work as freebies.

Find a local farmer's market. They're fresh, local and you avoid the middleman markup.

[eddyandme]

I think this is a GOOD thing!

The Mexican tomatoes have been flooding our markets and, thus, hurting our own - American - farmers.  Once the American farmers get a hand on it, prices will decline.

The only tomatoes I really enjoy our grown in Jersey - YUM!  But, whatever, we must protect our own!  Remember years ago, goods from China were much cheaper.  Our factories closed and affected all phases of our economy;  just to save a few bucks - plus having to deal with lesser-quality goods.  

Hopefully we've learned from past mistakes and take the interim rise in prices with a grain of salt (); bite the bullet and live with it until the market adjusts.

[pdlinda]

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@Snowpuppy wrote:

Agreed, they are so very easy to grow. Even on a porch or patio.

I live rural so everyone here grows their own. It's rare I buy tomatoes in season as people bring them into work as freebies.

Find a local farmer's market. They're fresh, local and you avoid the middleman markup.

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I live in AZ and every time I try to grow tomatoes on my patio they become infested with bugs and I have to destroy the plant.  Then, we have the issue of the our beastly hot summers.  

Am I doing something wrong???