Day 611 — Sheinbaum Signs National Tomato Price Agreement with Producers and Distributors

On June 4, 2026 (Day 611), President Claudia Sheinbaum presided over the signing of the 'National Agreement for the Ordering of Production, Supply, Commercialization and Fair Price of Tomato' (Acuerdo Nacional para el Ordenamiento de la Producción, Abasto, Comercialización y Precio Justo del Jitomate). The signing ceremony was relocated from the National Palace to the Ministry of Economy (Secretaría de Economía) building due to ongoing CNTE blockades in the Historic Center. The agreement was signed with agricultural producers, central market (Central de Abasto) representatives, and major supermarket chains. The government cited three structural causes for the three-month tomato price spike: (1) Frost damage to production zones in Florida (U.S.); (2) a crop disease outbreak in Sinaloa, Mexico's top tomato-producing state; (3) excessive intermediary markups in the supply chain — 'coyotes' buying cheaply from producers and selling at inflated prices to retailers. The agreement creates direct connections between producers and central market distribution, bypassing traditional intermediary layers. Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard and Agriculture Secretary Columba Jasmin López participated. Sheinbaum had announced the June 4 signing date at her June 1 mañanera (it was originally announced for June 3 but delayed one day). The tomato crisis had become emblematic of food affordability concerns ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, with millions of tourists expected in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey from June 11.