Whether it’s pizza, pasta or salsa, tomatoes are the backbone of many restaurant kitchens across Northeast Ohio. But a new federal tariff on imported tomatoes could leave some local businesses in a financial squeeze.
The U.S. Department of Commerce recently terminated the Tomato Suspension Agreement with Mexico, a longstanding trade deal that helped keep prices stable by preventing produce dumping. As a result, the Trump administration imposed a 17% tariff on most fresh tomatoes from Mexico, which took effect on July 14.
Scott Nathanson, owner and operator of Scotti’s Italian Eatery in Euclid, said he’s seen a price increase on lots of different foods, including tomatoes already…