Produce Alliance Report - Current Shortages and Impacts

Posted by wistful_cottage_core@reddit | PrepperIntel | View on Reddit | 60 comments

Latest Report:

https://producealliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Market-Report-4.2.26_FULL.pdf

From their Facebook:

"Market Report: 3.26.2026

🍅 Tomatoes are in critical shortage, with no improvement expected for 3–4 weeks; reducing use is recommended. Supplies of Cucumbers, Beans, Peppers, Corn, and Limes remain very tight, with additional delays from Mexico.

🥕 Hot weather in Yuma and Salinas is stressing crops. Carrots are limited until May, while Artichokes and Napa Cabbage are at critical levels. Wet vegetables are stable for now but may decline.

🥑 Guatemala frost and port delays are tightening bean and pea supplies. Strawberries show heat damage; Berries remain limited. Avocados are steady.

🍋‍🟩Citrus is tight on smaller sizes, with quality concerns due to California heat."

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Intelligent-Cruella@reddit

Can you keep posting these when they're released? This is amazing intel.

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wistful_cottage_core@reddit (OP)

Sure, they release them weekly

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Strict-Example9440@reddit

Victory garden it is!

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ResistantRose@reddit

Plant perennials, local natives, and wind-pollinated crops for the most resilience.

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CannyGardener@reddit

Wind pollinated is huge... I didn't do this and I have huge perennial berry bushes that I planted that don't get pollinated by our failing bee population. First year had lots of berries (\~2020) but last year we were down to hand pollinating, and essentially zero harvest from those rows.

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Suicidal__Uterus@reddit

I'm not a pro but more bees came by when I made little bee hydrating stations by the plants. It helped my blueberries very much!

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CannyGardener@reddit

Ah that is a good idea! I have a couple of bird baths in the front, and I got berries out on the front lot, but I only have the animal water troughs in the back (which I think are harder for bees to get at). Might have to get a couple more bird baths! I hadn't thought of this, but that makes sense!

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Suicidal__Uterus@reddit

You can even just get an old plate or a Tupperware lid that has no match lol and put some pebbles and little water on it they don't need much!

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CannyGardener@reddit

Good to know! I have "Bee Hive" on my short list, but until then I've gotta figure out a way to attract them!

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omgmypony@reddit

better get out there with a paintbrush

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CannyGardener@reddit

I mean, last year I just cut off a couple umbral of flowers and banged them on every other umbral in the row. Might have to get me a little paint brush and try a more focused process this year...

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omgmypony@reddit

oh I’m mostly teasing, I use a paintbrush on my passiflora incarnata tho (because I’m paranoid, the carpenter bees take care of them just fine)

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ResistantRose@reddit

Do you soil test? Low organic matter and low boron in the soil can lead to flower drop even if it's fully pollinated. (TEST FIRST before adding boron, it can poison the soil if applied improperly. Contact your local Ag extension.)

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CannyGardener@reddit

I hadn't thought about soil testing. I run an urban farm with chickens and rabbits producing tons of compost, so it would surprise me if it was a deficiency, but you never know! Sounds like its time to drop a line to the extension office!

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Any_Needleworker_273@reddit

Can confirm, NE carrot supply is still low, and signs to that effect still posted at the store. Overall produce section was thin at our store. And I noticed avocados were cheaper than Limes yesterday! $0.75 ea vs $0.79 ea!

I'm glad I stocked up on canned tomato products and have a bunch of starts, but man, spring really needs to get here for us so I can even start planting our cool weather crops. And I'm starting to think that all the extra fruit trees and bushes I ordered weren't such a bad idea.

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debvil@reddit

I just bought raspberry bushes, a fig tree and strawberry plants. Cross fingers they take off

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thereadingbri@reddit

Is this referring to fresh tomatoes specifically or are canned tomatoes also affected?

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wistful_cottage_core@reddit (OP)

Fresh for this report but canned tomatoes from some brands will be affected if the bad weather and economic pressure continues. Red Gold does their growing and canning here in the Midwest so this could definitely be a regional issue with some having access and some not.

I can all of my own tomato products though so it's not really an issue in my house. I recommend it as a hobby if you've been looking to move away from the traditional supply chains!

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thereadingbri@reddit

I’d love to but I can’t exactly put in a huge garden on a 3ft by 4ft patio with maybe 4 hours of sun a day. Apartment prepping is a different beast.

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wistful_cottage_core@reddit (OP)

Huge garden? No. But there's so many things you can grow in a container! Even small changes make a difference.

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Traditional-Handle83@reddit

Pretty sure this is all future tomatoes and anything else listed. Countries about to start seeing food shortages soon. Food banks won't be able to help anyone once that happens.

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Twitchychef@reddit

These are the reports I miss getting in my inbox when I was a chef. My produce guy would send me these and I'd plan accordingly for specials and daily veg/starch. Thanks!!

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raphael_lorenzo@reddit

This is squarely “great material” for prepper intel; understanding the cause of food shortages you either see or will see helps you plan ahead and make smart decisions in the supermarket. I’m bookmarking the website. Thanks.

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wistful_cottage_core@reddit (OP)

Thanks!

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AirborneGeek@reddit

Our Costco (mid-TN) had no asparagus in stock on Tuesday, which might be the first time I've ever seen that.

Coincidentally, Kroger had Asparagus on sale (ad ended yesterday, I think?), and it did not look terrible.

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No-Artichoke-6939@reddit

This needs crossposted to r/inflation. Lots of blueberry posts lately.

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Any_Needleworker_273@reddit

Well - now my husband can stop asking why I ordered 4 more blueberry plants!

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brbgonefisting@reddit

I'm a produce manager at a medium chain grocery store in the south. I'm surprised there is nothing about corn. They got hit hard with the back to back frosts and rain in January/February. We haven't had corn in stock like we usually do in about 3 weeks (during the winter we only get yellow sweet corn in and we aren't even getting that) and now with the fertilizer costs due to the issues in the gulf many farmers are pivoting towards soy beans as it has lower nitrogen needs compared to corn. I suspect we will have one of the lowest corn crops yields in quite some time. Which has far reaching impacts across multiple food industry since we like to out corn in everything in America...

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Any_Needleworker_273@reddit

Good heads up. Now I might have to put sweet corn back into my garden plans.

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Ok-Row-6088@reddit

All of this talk about fertilizer this year, last year I started experimenting with making Weed tea. Basically just everything I pulled when I was weeding sticking it in a big black garbage can filled with water and watering my plants with the nasty rotting plant water. It stinks to high heaven but Oh my God did my plants love it, I had 10 times the yield out of the tomatoes that I was doing this too then I did the tomato plants I did not. There are so many natural ways to make fertilizer and they come with a whole bunch of microbes that are better for the soil than the purchased traditional NPK variety.

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Thoth-long-bill@reddit

Also if the fertilizer cargo ships don’t get thru the stairs of Hormouz asap many countries’ farmers will not have applied fertilizer to crops in June. There will be world wide food shortages. Detailed on CNN’s reports.

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snasna102@reddit

I’m sure you can always negotiate some potash with Canada if that bridge isn’t burnt or you’re okay with paying abit more

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ResistantRose@reddit

Except MAGA actually wants to burn that bridge https://apnews.com/article/trump-canada-bridge-detroit-0eb2f4866f8f2039d3088b6e9c2b28e0

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snasna102@reddit

Which is fine, I’m sure America isn’t the only one hurting for it and plenty of countries have a big hole in their trade partner list. I’m sure an honoured deal can be reached

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SpiritTrailWalker@reddit

gif

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Academic-Hospital952@reddit

Hey, at least Americans will finally lose some weight

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SpiritTrailWalker@reddit

Except for DJT 😂

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Plastic_Home_2075@reddit

No shortage of cheeseburgers

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RelationRealistic@reddit

Like your mother, the crack whore.

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LittlehouseonTHELAND@reddit

Recently I’ve been having a hard time finding Roma tomatoes here in upstate NY, now I know why.

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mommasplain2u@reddit

I came home from the grocery store yesterday complaining there wasnt a single Roma tomatoe. Now I know why.

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Psychological-Pick78@reddit

Same for me in Pa

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maddomesticscientist@reddit

Same in TN.

In fact, the last time I went to a major chain grocery, they were completely out of any fresh tomatoes.

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Strakiz@reddit

So it's time to rewrite my shopping list :/

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attachedtothreads@reddit

Just an observation: I love bell peppers and go to a restaurant supply store. Some years ago red and green diced bell peppers were ~$2.50/2-lb. frozen bag, or ~$30 for 24-lb. case. The case is now up to $50. I don't know if it's get or shortages.

Re: tomatoes. Didn't Mexico get a massive shipment of tomatoes before the tariffs being put in place, thereby depressing tomatoes prices so that the Florida farmers pulverized their tomato crops rather harvest/process them and wait until they raise?

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Mindless_Field_1357@reddit

I do recall that. Farming is strange at times.

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Thoth-long-bill@reddit

The freeze last night May have killed Va apples, peaches and berries. The farmers spent the night in the fields and orchards lighting fires. They are asking for prayers on Facebook.

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The_Vee_@reddit

That's really sad. 😢

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Dork_wing_Duck@reddit

The stupid poors have it coming. Thank goodness this won't affect the rich... They're just better than regular people.

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thehourglasses@reddit

climate crisis intensifies

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DissedFunction@reddit

thank you for this important info

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taylorbagel14@reddit

Live right by the Salinas valley and I can confirm we’ve had a bunch of unseasonably warm days in the past month :/

We’re supposed to be getting rain this weekend so hopefully that will help

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taseaclaiduaim@reddit

Same here location wise. It has been such a hot and dry winter/spring. That heat wave was ridiculous.. 80-90 deg temps every day for two weeks.. I keep seeing all the stone fruit around beginning to get big and all I can think is we are fucked if it gets cold again, or if big rains come. Good luck to you and yours

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