Southern Georgia's bell pepper harvest is already underway, and tomato harvest is beginning now for crops that were replanted after the spring freeze. The start of Georgia's domestic season marks a meaningful shift in supply availability after months of tight inventory and elevated pricing across both categories.
This is significant given how stressed the tomato and pepper markets have been — tomato prices were up nearly 40% earlier this spring driven by freeze damage, tariff pressure on Mexican imports, and high freight costs. Georgia supply coming online adds a domestic source that can reduce dependence on imports and help stabilize prices heading into summer.
Buyers who locked in long-term contracts during the price spike should take note of how quickly the market could soften. Keep an eye on whether Georgia volumes come in strong enough to push prices down or if lingering freeze damage limits the total available supply.