SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The price of tomatoes could soon be going up, and finding them at the grocery store could become more difficult due to a combination of new tariffs and labor shortages.
President Trump has imposed a 17% tariff on tomatoes imported from Mexico, which currently supplies about 70% of tomatoes consumed in the United States.
The administration argues the import tax will help boost the U.S. tomato industry and production.
"The price of the tomato is going up already as we speak. It's due to tariffs, yes, it's also due to the people not going out to work," said Jesus Marmolejo, a farm supervisor in Ventura County.
Marmolejo explains that getting tomatoes into grocery stores isn't simple. From planting to picking, the process can take about two months, and tomatoes are a delicate crop.
"You still have to tend the plant. The plant, it's heavy, so it'll drop if you're not careful. So you have to attach a bunch of strings," Marmolejo said.
In 2024, tomatoes were Ventura County's 10th leading crop, producing over 22,000 tons with a gross value of nearly $42 million.
When asked where Ventura County tomatoes are distributed, Marmolejo confirmed they stay local. "Specifically, the tomatoes you were at, they stayed local, they stay in California," he said.
In addition to the tomato tariffs, Marmolejo says fear of ICE enforcement has kept workers from picking the fruit.
"If there's demand, but there's no tomatoes, the price is gonna go up. And that's what's happening right now. It's a combination of both things," Marmolejo said.
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