Canadian Tomato Prices Jump 45.2% as US 17% Tariff and Weather Squeeze Supply
Updated
Updated · The Globe and Mail · Jun 23
Canadian Tomato Prices Jump 45.2% as US 17% Tariff and Weather Squeeze Supply
3 articles · Updated · The Globe and Mail · Jun 23
Summary
Fresh tomato prices in Canada rose 45.2% in the year to May, with the average retail price hitting C$6.18 a kilogram in April versus C$4.52 a year earlier.
Statistics Canada linked the surge to tighter North American supply after poor growing conditions hit U.S. and Mexican output and Washington imposed a 17% tariff on most fresh Mexican tomatoes.
Canada imported C$422 million of tomatoes last year, mostly from the U.S. and Mexico, while Mexican shipments to Canada began falling in 2025 and rerouted volumes remained too small to offset the squeeze.
The pressure is feeding broader food inflation: grocery prices rose 4.3% from a year earlier in May, outpacing headline inflation of 3.2%, while fresh vegetable prices climbed 9%.
USDA forecasts deepen the risk, with Mexico's 2026 tomato planting area seen down 11% and exports down 7% as the USMCA review nears, raising the prospect of wider produce trade disruptions.