Florida prime-time tomato season is coming on.
While Florida tomato shipments were down sharply the week of Oct. 20 compared to a year ago, shipments from the state are seasonally increasing.
In 2023, Florida shipped fresh open-field tomatoes from October through July, with peak shipments from October through May. Leading tomato-producing counties in Florida include Hillsborough County, Manatee County, Hendry County, Palm Beach County and Collier County.
Florida tomato acreage in 2023 totaled about 30,000 acres, of which about 29,00 acres were harvested, according to USDA numbers.
With yields of 300 hundredweight per acre, the value of the 2023 Florida tomato crop was estimated at $493.6 million, according to the USDA. Total tomato harvested volume was 8.97 million hundredweight.
The USDA’s annual shipment summary reported that Florida accounted for 23.44 million 25-pound cartons of open-field fresh round tomato truck shipments in 2023. That accounted for about 56% of total domestic fresh round tomato truck shipments.
The USDA reported that only 8,000 25-pound cartons of Florida organic round tomatoes were shipped in 2023.
Florida cherry tomato shipments in 2023 totaled 344,000 25-pound cartons, just over 70% of USDA-reported cherry tomato shipments.
Florida grape tomato shipments in 2023 were reported at 2.148 million 25-pound cartons, or about 71% of total domestic grape tomato shipments.
Florida plum tomato shipments in 2023 were reported at 8.17 million 25-pound cartons by the USDA, or 61% of total domestic plum tomato volume.
For central and south Florida, the USDA reported that average prices for 5x6-size mature green tomatoes in 25-pound cartons began in early November and continued through mid-May. Prices for the 2023-24 season began in early November in a range from $14.95 to $18.95 per carton. Prices topped $30 per carton in late December and topped $37 per carton in late January and early February.
Here are 2023-24 shipping point prices for central and southern Florida mature green 5x6 tomatoes, reported by the USDA:
2023
- Nov. 4 — $14.95-$18.95.
- Nov. 11 — $16.95-$17.
- Nov. 18 — $14.95-$17.
- Nov. 25 — $16.95-$17.
- Dec. 2 — $14.95-$17.
- Dec. 9 — $20.95-$21.
- Dec. 16 — $27.95-$28.
- Dec. 23 — $30.95-$31.
- Dec. 30 — $27.95-$28.
2024
- Jan. 6 — $24.95-$25.
- Jan. 13 — $22.95-$23.
- Jan. 20 — $26.95-$27.
- Jan. 27 — $36.95-$37.
- Feb. 3 — $30.95-$37.
- Feb. 10 — $26.95-$27.
- Feb. 17 — $26.96-$27.
- Feb. 24 — $34.95-$35.95.
- March 2 — $34.95-$35.
- March 9 — $28.95-$29.
- March 16 — $26.95-$27.
- March 23 — $14.95-$16.95.
- March 30 — $24.95-$26.95.
- April 6 — $16.95-$17.
- April 13 — $24.95-$26.95.
- April 20 — $24.95-$26.95.
- April 27 — $24.95-$26.95.
- May 4 — $24.95-$27.
- May 11 — $18.95-$19.
- May 18 — $10.95-$12.95.
