How Southern California restaurants and farmers are coping with rising produce costs

Produce prices are climbing sharply across Southern California, with tomatoes leading the surge as farmers, restaurants and consumers struggle to absorb rising costs tied to tariffs, fuel and transportation expenses. The price of fresh fruits and vegetables is expected to increase nearly 5% this year, according to industry estimates. Tomatoes alone are up 23% compared with a year ago, while grocery prices overall have risen 2.9% year over year. …