Florida, Sunshine State, is the main American source for the fresh tomatoes in winter, but with the exceptional cold of this winter, the producers of tomatoes lost 70 % of their harvest.
Florida is the first producing region of tomatoes of the country, and has produced last year 25 million pounds of tomatoes a week. Since the frost began, Florida sends only 1,1 million pounds a week.
Wholesale prices jumped up, that’s why certain salesmen of sandwiches propose the tomato as an optional ingredient and only by request.
The missing tomatoes of Florida are not replaced by the production of California which will begin only when sun will shine.
source : Los Angeles Times