Tomato, Lettuce Prices Triple Following Freeze

DETROIT (WWJ) - Have you noticed that you're paying more for tomatoes? Costs are about triple what they used to be because of crop freezes in Florida and Mexico.

WWJ Newsradio 950 spoke Friday with Tom Brisby, one of the owners of Detroit Wholesale Produce in Eastern Market, who said tomatoes cost about $2 per pound now, up from an average 69 cents per pound.

"There's really not any problem getting tomatoes, it's just the price .  The price is up ..the demand is pretty high cuz the supply is down, so it's out there , but it's a lot of money," Brisby said, adding that the fruit is becoming almost a luxury item.

"That's why a lot of the restaurants are putting 'em (away). Ya know, if you want a tomato , you gotta ask for a tomato," he said,

Brisby said the cost of lettuce is also up because of the freezes, tripling in cost from $1 to $3 per pound.   He expects prices will get back to normal in another month.