Mexico has faced a sharp increase in food prices in the first quarter of 2026. According to the National Alliance of Small Merchants (Anpec), the price of tomatoes has risen by 61.02%, forcing consumers to pay over 70 pesos per kilogram. Quote: "This forces families to cancel their purchase or stop consuming other products from the basic basket." The blow was crushing. Meanwhile, the price of lemons soared by 38.36%, and green tomatoes by 18.58%, reaching 69 pesos. Price pressure also spread to other basic products such as potatoes, instant coffee, and poblano chili, with increases ranging from 11% to over 16%. Overall, the basic consumer basket recorded an inflation of 3.18% during the period. Anpec president, Cuauhtémoc Rivera, explained that imbalances in various regions of the country reduced agricultural harvests, increasing both production and supply/distribution costs. This was compounded by a growing shortage and rising cost of fertilizers, a key agricultural input, the impact of which was exacerbated by the drought in the Middle East. In parallel, the increase in gasoline prices has begun to pressure logistics costs. Although these increases are gradual, their impact on the basic basket is direct, making transportation more expensive, driving up prices, and ultimately affecting both small businesses and the wallets of consumer families.
