The rising costs of cauliflower, broccoli and tomatoes can be explained by a combination of unpalatable factors

Published May 27, 2026 12:15PM (EDT)

Man cutting broccoli (Getty Images/Ugur Karakoc)

Step into your local supermarket , and you may find that those ordinarily humble broccoli bunches or cauliflower heads now carry higher price tags .

Cruciferous vegetables have been hit hard by supply disruptions, leading to widespread shortages, quality decline and, yes, higher costs. In an April 29 press release , Markon Cooperative, a farm-to-table produce cooperative, noted that cauliflower supplies from the Salinas Valley and Santa Maria, CA, are extremely limited. Freezing temperatures and heavy rain in California — the dominant supplier of cauliflower in the United States — heavily impacted production and fresh harvests, driving up prices.

By how much, you ask?…