Experts Have Weighed in on Why Tomato Prices Have Risen so High Lately

Some price hikes are easier to spot than others amid the Iran conflict and tariffs implemented on countries bringing goods to the United States. But why are tomatoes so expensive right now? They seem like an inconsequential thing to suddenly be a lot pricier than they once were, especially before mid-2026. But if you buy them regularly, you might have noticed a price hike.

The Iran conflict isn't directly to blame for rising prices on tomatoes, but you can look to the government, in a way, to place blame for why you have to skimp on adding cherry tomatoes to your salad or slicing them extra thin to go further on your BLTs. And, the most important question some people have is how long tomatoes will be so expensive.

According to CNBC, you can thank the tariffs, or Donald Trump, for tomatoes being more expensive now. In March 2026, the price of tomatoes reportedly rose 15 percent in the U.S., which made for an eight-year high on the produce. Some of the supply that the U.S. gets is from Mexico, and since there is a 17percent tariff imposed on them, it makes them more expensive for shoppers at a local level in grocery stores across the country.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that as of March 2026, tomatoes were $2.26 per pound. The month before that, they were $2.06 per pound. And, over the past eight years, the $2.26 price is higher than ever. 90 percent of the U.S. tomatoes that are imported are from Mexico. And, unfortunately, the cost could continue to rise.

"I do expect there's more pain on the horizon for tomato prices," Ricky Volpe, a professor of agribusiness at California Polytechnic State University, told CNBC.

While U.S.-based farmers do grow various types of tomatoes, the fact that most of the tomatoes in the U.S. come from outside sources means that the tariffs have caused an upcharge of sorts. And most average everyday people in the U.S. are feeling those effects.

Another reason for the higher cost of tomatoes, per CNN, is the weather that farmers in both the U.S. and Mexico faced in early 2026. Due to record low temperatures, some tomato crops were taken out, meaning farmers had to deal with the problem of less vegetables and fruit to sell than they normally would.

Shoppers who like to stock up on tomatoes might notice that those vegetables that people insist are actually fruit aren't the only thing costing an arm and a leg all of a sudden. Berries, specifically strawberries and blueberries, have seen higher proxies than usual too.

According to Ambrook, there have been labor shortages, bad weather, and fertilizer and fuel costs. The latter can be linked back to the Iran conflict. Until something big changes, it looks like the rising costs in produce might keep going up.