Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Tomato Prices Plunge After Mexico’s National Agreement

The change follows coordinated action to stabilize supply that officials say cut retail costs, lowering pressure on household budgets.

Overview

  • Official data show a sharp recent reversal: Profeco reported a 41.4% drop in the national average price per kilogram between the third week of May and the third week of June, and INEGI recorded a 23.98% fall in the first half of June, its largest quincenal decline in 56 quincenas.
  • The federal government, producers and commercializers signed the Acuerdo Nacional on June 3 to order production, supply and commercialization, and authorities credit that pact with helping restore availability and pull prices down.
  • Prices have eased across supermarkets and public markets but remain uneven by region and outlet, with supermarket saladet listings around 16.90–28.90 pesos/kg and Mexico City market stalls generally at 18–30 pesos/kg.
  • Independent analysts from GCMA and reporting point to commercialization-stage distortions—higher margins in some autoservicios and retailers—as a major driver of earlier spike, not only production shortfalls from U.S. freezes and Mexican pest problems.
  • The fall in tomato costs helped weigh on headline inflation in mid-June and offers immediate relief to household food budgets, and Profeco said it will continue weekly price monitoring through its Quién es Quién en los Precios tool.