As the summer months put increased demand on the tomato world, the supply drastically buckles under the pressure of seasonally improved demand. In Florida, the overall tomato picture carries a grim hue around it, as production yields are drastically lower than originally planned. This phenomena, coupled with the lesser acreage planted for the spring program, leaves the round market in one of the worst positions in years from a supply perspective. At the same time, improved demand from quiet buying markets crippled with cooler weather have begun to spring into action, putting added pressure on the already vacant tomato fields. With most shippers working in a light way this week, others have already talked about the end of their programs, which leaves little to the optimistic imagination for the months of June and July, unless the California program can produce enough fruit to overcome this shortage. Out of Mexico, some vine ripened product is still available, however, the volumes of this fruit will not be enough to completely outweigh the effects of the extreme shortage in Florida. With Quincy expected to start in the first week of June and the more northern programs - Carolinas, Virginia, Tennessee - to be much lesser than usual, many shippers expect extraordinarily high tomato prices and the execution of force majeure clauses for the next two months to be a harsh reality.