Current market prices in your area

Dane S · July 27, 2015

Just wondering how some of you are making out this year. What are current prices per lb in your area? Do u separate varieties and sell at different prices? for those that need to have a certified scale or cant use a scale how do u market them for sale? Do you sell smaller and cherry and currents by half-pint/pint? Just looking for your experiences and maybe some advice. That's for your time guys.

joseph · July 27, 2015

Current (very early season) prices at my market are about:

$3 per pint of cherry/saladette tomatoes.
$1 per fruit for ~8 oz fruits.

The per fruit price will drop to 1/2 or 1/3 of that in the next few weeks as production ramps up. The price on cherry tomatoes will stay the same due to the labor required to pick them. Saladette tomatoes will end the season at $1 per pint.

One guy sells using a non-certified scale. He is begging for trouble. Everyone else sells by the basket, or by the fruit.

I always market cherry tomatoes in pint baskets. Later in the season when I have lots of varieties and sizes of tomatoes I'll sell mixed lots as 'Fill a bag for $3'. People generally put about 3 to 5 pounds of tomatoes into the bag.

Towards the end of the season, canning tomatoes sell for about $12 to $15 per half bushel around here.

I grow in an agricultural community where most members of the community are required by religious dogma to grow a garden. Hard to get high prices in that kind of an environment.

Redbaron · July 27, 2015

I sell at 3 dollars a pound, or for smaller salad, saladette and cherry types; 2 dollars a pint. That generally stays fairly consistent as since I am selling out front instead of a farmer's market, there is no chance as of yet to flood the market. Last year when I tried to sell to some faithful customers at a discount, I kept getting resistance. Like tips, and "keep the change"s, and people purposely over paying when I was gone. The funniest was when I just sat down a bag of fresh picked mixed maters on the table, and went inside to use the bathroom. I was going to come back out, sort the culls, separate the cherries etc..... I came back out and all my tomatoes were gone, every one. At first I thought some one stole them, but turns out they left behind cash, about triple what I would typically charge for firsts!

I found out later who did it, and tried to make it right, but they refused! They had overpaid on purpose and were very happy with the culls, as they were making sauce anyway. Apparently their sauce was so good, they had never even come close to tasting anything like it before.

They seemed to be insulted that I would try to refund their money or give free tomatoes.

I gave them some free fresh basil and tarragon instead.

BigVanVader · July 27, 2015

My local market prices are on average:

3$ a pint 5$ per quart for mixed cherry tomatoes pre packaged

3$ per lb heirlooms
2$ per for regular (round/red/hybrids etc)
$1.50 per lb squash/cukes

FarmerShawn · July 27, 2015

$3 a pound across the board for me, big, little, and in between, pretty or ugly (some actually prefer the ugly ones - they claim they taste better!). My scale was certified this spring by NH, so for a change I'm legally using it. That price will stay for the season, although I'll probably offer a volume discount for folks who want a quantity for sauces and canning.

biscgolf · July 27, 2015

$3 pint for cherry and other small types
$2 a pound for large tomatoes whether heirloom or hybrid
$15-20 for a case of hybrids

ScottinAtlanta · July 27, 2015

Atlanta

$6 pint for cherries
$4-$5 for heirlooms

This town is crazy about good stuff.

ginger2778 · July 28, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

My local market prices are on average:

3$ a pint 5$ per quart for mixed cherry tomatoes pre packaged

3$ per lb heirlooms
2$ per for regular (round/red/hybrids etc)
$1.50 per lb squash/cukes

Curious what the market brings for a tomato plant? We sell them here for a service club that gives 100% back to the community. Sold at $3 each, or 10 for $25.

BigVanVader · July 28, 2015

I sold for 3$ each 2 for 5$ or 5 for $10

Most other growers were getting a little more (3.50 to 4$ per) but they were mostly resellers.

biscgolf · July 28, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

Atlanta

$6 pint for cherries
$4-$5 for heirlooms

This town is crazy about good stuff.

DC is the same way. Heirlooms that you can't get more than $2/# for here (1 hour south) go for $5/# in the city.

Worth1 · July 28, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by biscgolf

DC is the same way. Heirlooms that you can't get more than $2/# for here (1 hour south) go for $5/# in the city.

City proper or George Town, you know what I mean.
Worth

saltmarsh · July 28, 2015

Local support is nice to have. We charge $2 per pound, but people insist on tipping and the price is closer to $3 per pound.

People really like "All Natural". Our Farmer's Market is on Sat. from 8 to Noon and Wed. from 4PM to 7PM.

We've been selling out of everything within the first 2 hours. Claud

AKmark · July 28, 2015

I wholesale for 3.85 per pound, others sell them at F markets for 6.00-6.50 per pound, we cannot keep up with demand, not even close.
We also do not get rich from the seemingly high price tomatoes, add in costs of springtime heat, cost of shipping fertilizer up, electricity for exhaust fans, and labor, we do ok.

Cole_Robbie · July 28, 2015

Slicers have been $1.75/lb for about a month now. One vendor at a smaller market has his priced at $1 per pound. I dropped my pints of cherries to $2.50 from $3 last week.

biscgolf · July 28, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

City proper or George Town, you know what I mean.
Worth

3/4 of the city has undergone full gentrification at this point.

July 27, 2015	#1
Dane S Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: 4b-5a Posts: 16	Current market prices in your area Just wondering how some of you are making out this year. What are current prices per lb in your area? Do u separate varieties and sell at different prices? for those that need to have a certified scale or cant use a scale how do u market them for sale? Do you sell smaller and cherry and currents by half-pint/pint? Just looking for your experiences and maybe some advice. That's for your time guys.

July 27, 2015	#2
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	Current (very early season) prices at my market are about: $3 per pint of cherry/saladette tomatoes. $1 per fruit for ~8 oz fruits. The per fruit price will drop to 1/2 or 1/3 of that in the next few weeks as production ramps up. The price on cherry tomatoes will stay the same due to the labor required to pick them. Saladette tomatoes will end the season at $1 per pint. One guy sells using a non-certified scale. He is begging for trouble. Everyone else sells by the basket, or by the fruit. I always market cherry tomatoes in pint baskets. Later in the season when I have lots of varieties and sizes of tomatoes I'll sell mixed lots as 'Fill a bag for $3'. People generally put about 3 to 5 pounds of tomatoes into the bag. Towards the end of the season, canning tomatoes sell for about $12 to $15 per half bushel around here. I grow in an agricultural community where most members of the community are required by religious dogma to grow a garden. Hard to get high prices in that kind of an environment. Last edited by joseph; July 28, 2015 at 04:26 PM.

July 27, 2015	#3
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	I sell at 3 dollars a pound, or for smaller salad, saladette and cherry types; 2 dollars a pint. That generally stays fairly consistent as since I am selling out front instead of a farmer's market, there is no chance as of yet to flood the market. Last year when I tried to sell to some faithful customers at a discount, I kept getting resistance. Like tips, and "keep the change"s, and people purposely over paying when I was gone. The funniest was when I just sat down a bag of fresh picked mixed maters on the table, and went inside to use the bathroom. I was going to come back out, sort the culls, separate the cherries etc..... I came back out and all my tomatoes were gone, every one. At first I thought some one stole them, but turns out they left behind cash, about triple what I would typically charge for firsts! I found out later who did it, and tried to make it right, but they refused! They had overpaid on purpose and were very happy with the culls, as they were making sauce anyway. Apparently their sauce was so good, they had never even come close to tasting anything like it before. They seemed to be insulted that I would try to refund their money or give free tomatoes. I gave them some free fresh basil and tarragon instead. __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

July 27, 2015	#5
FarmerShawn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,001	$3 a pound across the board for me, big, little, and in between, pretty or ugly (some actually prefer the ugly ones - they claim they taste better!). My scale was certified this spring by NH, so for a change I'm legally using it. That price will stay for the season, although I'll probably offer a volume discount for folks who want a quantity for sauces and canning. __________________ "Red meat is NOT bad for you. Now blue-green meat, THAT'S bad for you!" -- Tommy Smothers

July 27, 2015	#4
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	My local market prices are on average: 3$ a pint 5$ per quart for mixed cherry tomatoes pre packaged 3$ per lb heirlooms 2$ per for regular (round/red/hybrids etc) $1.50 per lb squash/cukes

July 27, 2015	#6
biscgolf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 353	$3 pint for cherry and other small types $2 a pound for large tomatoes whether heirloom or hybrid $15-20 for a case of hybrids

July 27, 2015	#7
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	Atlanta $6 pint for cherries $4-$5 for heirlooms This town is crazy about good stuff.

July 28, 2015	#9
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	I sold for 3$ each 2 for 5$ or 5 for $10 Most other growers were getting a little more (3.50 to 4$ per) but they were mostly resellers.

July 28, 2015	#12
saltmarsh Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: 2 miles south of Yoknapatawpha Zone 7b Posts: 662	Local support is nice to have. We charge $2 per pound, but people insist on tipping and the price is closer to $3 per pound. People really like "All Natural". Our Farmer's Market is on Sat. from 8 to Noon and Wed. from 4PM to 7PM. We've been selling out of everything within the first 2 hours. Claud

July 28, 2015	#13
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	I wholesale for 3.85 per pound, others sell them at F markets for 6.00-6.50 per pound, we cannot keep up with demand, not even close. We also do not get rich from the seemingly high price tomatoes, add in costs of springtime heat, cost of shipping fertilizer up, electricity for exhaust fans, and labor, we do ok.

July 28, 2015	#14
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Slicers have been $1.75/lb for about a month now. One vendor at a smaller market has his priced at $1 per pound. I dropped my pints of cherries to $2.50 from $3 last week.