Tomato prices rising as supplies are stressed

Markon Cooperative BB #:123315 released this tomato market update October 14, 2026:

Tomato supplies are extremely tight as regional seasons wind down and new districts get underway. Recent storms have disrupted autumn growing regions, causing prices to escalate.

Quality and Planning

• Expect low volume over the next four to six weeks
• Quality issues will include variable color, firmness, and weakened shelf life during the regional transitions
• Markon advises ordering to current needs, managing safety stock carefully, and maintaining size flexibility
• Elevated markets may persist through Thanksgiving or longer, depending on storm impacts and the pace of Florida production

Rounds

East Coast

• Production in Tennessee and Virginia is ending
• Georgia harvests have started; volume is low
• Florida growers have started the Quincy season; supplies are limited as heat and rain caused bloom drop
• Quincy received three to five inches of rain from Hurricane Isaias
• Growers continue to evaluate fields this week
• Production will resume this weekend
• Florida’s Ruskin/Palmetto season will start with low volume in early November

Mexico

• Baja yields remain critically low following recent heavy rain and wind
• Cyclonic storms continue to form off Western Mexico and Baja, threatening remaining crops
• Central Mexico is contributing supplies, but overall availability remains tight
  

California

• Central California production is declining as growers finish for the season
• Large rounds will remain limited through late October

Romas

East Coast

• Quincy and North Florida will contribute low yields until production starts in Ruskin/Palmetto on November 9
• Growers are assessing crops after Hurricane Isaias and expecting limited supplies

Mexico

• Baja and Central Mexico stocks are tight; quality ranges from fair to good
• Hurricane Simon shifted west overnight and is expected to downgrade to a tropical storm over the next day, bringing rain to the Baja Peninsula

California

• Production is tapering as California growers wrap up seasonal programs; open-market volume will remain limited
• Remaining growers may offer limited supplies through late October

Grape and Cherry

East Coast

• Supplies are extremely short as Virginia and other regional programs wind down
• Recent weather has increased culling and reduced usable volume
• Early Ruskin/Palmetto yields should be tight, but will increase in November

Mexico

• Baja and Central Mexico availability remains very limited; quality is fair
• Supplies may increase as new acreage starts later this month

Please contact your Markon Account Manager for more information.