Supermarket sign explains surge in price and drop in quality of Aussie favourite

Tomatoes are so expensive at the moment, and they don't look that great either.

I was shocked when I went to my local fruit market and saw they were selling tomatoes for $14.99 per kilo!

I'm used to paying $4-$6 per kilo max and wondered what caused the surge in price.

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While they didn't look the best, I still bought some, but only because they are a non-negotiable staple in my family.

We use tomatoes in everything, but especially our favourite toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches and go-to potato salad.

I have been slicing them more thinly for sandwiches and adding much less of them to salads to make them go further.

At Coles, you can get them for $12.90 per kilo. Woolies aren't even listing the per kilo price online. Their most affordable tomatoes are $1.16 each for Roma tomatoes.

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At Aldi, you can buy tomatoes for $10.99 per kilo. But like I said earlier, they don't look great and the ones I bought are pale all the way through.

Why tomatoes have surged in price?

I reached out to Farmer's Pick to find out what the deal is.

Josh Ball, co-founder of Farmer's Pick told 9honey Kitchen: "Tomato prices are currently high due to a combination of seasonal changes, weather disruptions, and supply chain pressures".

"Typically, the majority of summer and autumn tomatoes come from large outdoor farms in central Victoria, while smaller greenhouse growers operate mainly in Virginia, South Australia, and the Sydney Basin," Ball continued.

"As we are in winter, production shifts to open-field farms in southern and central Queensland, with northern Queensland supplying winter crops."

This is where the weather came into it.

"Unfortunately, heavy rainfall earlier this year in central and northern Queensland damaged existing crops and delayed planting, which has tightened supply," Ball explained.

"Adding to this, two of the country's largest glasshouse farms, known for year-round production, have faced virus outbreaks that led to quarantines and significant reductions in their plantings."

Supermarket warnings

When I searched for tomatoes on the Woolworths website this message popped up: "Tomato supply has been impacted due to heavy rain in the growing regions.

"You may see lower stock levels while we work with suppliers to return to normal levels."

Coles also has a notice in stores stating: "Due to recent weather across key growing regions there is limited availability of Loose and Pre-Packed tomatoes.

"As the season transitions, you may also notice some tomatoes appear lighter in colour. This is a natural occurrence and does not affect the quality or the taste of the product.

"We are working closely with our suppliers to improve supply as quickly as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused."

How to grow your own tomatoes

My partner Shamus and I had a crack at growing some tomatoes at the end of 2024 and early 2025 and we had some success – but nowhere near the volume our family goes through each week.

I did wonder if Aussies could grow their own tomatoes more easily.

I asked Bunnings, who stock some tomato-growing kits, and was told this is certainly possible.

Ash Makin, Bunnings' National Greenlife Buyer, said it's all about the "right setup".

"With the right setup, you can grow tomatoes indoors throughout the cooler winter months," he told 9honey Kitchen.

"While tomatoes typically love warmth and sunlight, indoor environments can easily be adapted with things like grow lights and the right container setups to support healthy growth year-round."

The easiest varieties to grow in this way are the smaller varieties like cherry tomatoes.

"This is because they are a smaller crop so don't need as much space, and still produce a rewarding crop," he explained.

The first step is to choose a place in your apartment or home with "consistent light, warmth, and avoiding cold drafts".

"The best spot to grow tomatoes indoors is near a bright window that gets plenty of natural sunlight, ideally a north-facing window," he said.

"Tomatoes need around 6–8 hours of direct light daily to thrive which can be a challenge in winter, so if natural light is limited, an LED grow light, such as the Home Grown Indoor Grow Light Adjustment, is a great solution," he said.

Once planted, you could have delicious tomatoes in 10-12 weeks.

To speed this up, he said, you can even use a heat mat which will maintain soil warmth in conjunction with a grow light.

Ball also recommended the use of liquid fertilisers along the way. You can head to your local Bunnings for further advice.

Or you can do what my mum does and squeeze tomato seeds from an actual tomato directly into the ground.

What you can do in the meantime

Food expert Jane de Graaff recommends using tinned tomatoes at times when fresh crops aren't at their best.

"Tinned tomatoes are always a great alternative," she tells 9honey.

"Or remembering that not all pasta sauces need tomato... there are lots of tomato-free and delicious pasta sauces!!" de Graaff added.

Farmer's Pick has "rescued" over 50,000 kilos of tomatoes since January 2025 that had been rejected by the major supermarkets.

"These are perfectly good tomatoes with minor blemishes or varying sizes that might otherwise go to waste," Ball said.

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"While these rescued tomatoes aren't directly tied to the recent weather and virus challenges, taking all of a farmer's harvest helps reduce waste and gives growers more opportunities to bring their produce to your plate."

Farmer's Pick doesn't sell tomatoes separately. They are included in their boxes of seasonal produce which come in a range of sizes.

Their family-size fruit and vegetable boxes start from $63 each, with the company stating that their fresh produce is 30 per cent "cheaper fruits and veggies than the supermarkets".

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