On Tuesday, Mexico’s undersecretary of foreign trade told The Financial Times that the new 18 percent tariff was “very disappointing” costing the Mexican tomato industry $350 million a year. (Source: KGBT)

As of Tuesday, consumers in the United States will likely be paying more for tomatoes at the supermarket.

Tariffs are now being placed on Mexican tomatoes.

At the Central de Abastos in McAllen, trucks come in from across the border to receive produce all day long.

But for importers like Carlos Ayala, his truck drivers are noticing delays.

“They told us they were having some problems with paying for tariffs once crossing into the U.S.,” Ayala said.

Mexican tomatoes are now being slapped with nearly 18 percent in tariffs.

This is due to the end of an agreement from the United States Commerce Department made between U.S. and Mexican tomato growers to not put tariffs on imported Mexican tomatoes.

The concern for U.S. growers was having to compete with much cheaper Mexican tomatoes.

“About half or more of all tomatoes in the United States comes from Mexico,” said Teo Sepulveda, South Texas College economist.

Sepulveda said the original agreement issued in 1996 was to allow U.S. consumers to have more choice when buying tomatoes at the store. But recent pressure from the Florida tomato industry has called for a suspension to this agreement.

On Tuesday, Mexico’s undersecretary of foreign trade told The Financial Times that the new 18 percent tariff was “very disappointing” costing the Mexican tomato industry $350 million a year.

In the end, the U.S. consumer will also pay the consequences.

“The price of tomatoes should rise somewhere between [] 40 to 80 percent,” Sepulveda said.

The U.S. Commerce Department said it will continue to negotiate with farmers in the U.S. and Mexico. But the meantime U.S. consumers will most likely have to start paying more for tomatoes on their next visit to the supermarket.