Although tomatoes are a permanent part of cooking in India, their prices have risen by 445% to outpace the price of petrol, shocking citizens and forcing them to reduce consumption of the staple food.
A kilogram of tomatoes sold in New Delhi on Thursday for INR120 ($1.45) per kilogram, a staggering difference from INR22 to INR98 at the start of 2023, according to data compiled by the food ministry.
On the other hand, petrol was sold at around 96 taka in the capital.
The Indian government blamed a lean production season for the sharp price hike. Although tomato prices rise every year in June and July, this year the impact is unexpected, with the monsoon rains disrupting transport and distribution by five times.
However, over the past several months, consumers in India have also been reeling from inflated prices of other staples, including milk and spices.
Moreover, due to the additional rate, several outlets of the fast food franchise McDonald’s have dropped tomatoes from their menu items.
The notice at two McDonald’s stores in capital New Delhi read: “Despite our best efforts, we are unable to source enough tomatoes that pass our stringent quality tests.
“We are forced to serve you products without tomatoes.” However, store managers said the decision came after quality issues in the supply chain, not price.
