Vegetable prices across India have increased. Even skyrocketed to 400%.
This occurs especially with tomatoes. As a result, consumer anger arose and residents began to worry.
Because butter chicken to paneer makhani need tomatoes. Everything is typical food of the people who should be available at the dinner table.
“Failure to harvest following a wave of scorching heat and heavy rains is the cause,” said the farmer and observer published by CNN International, Friday (14/7/2023).
A kilogram (kg) of tomatoes was sold in the capital New Delhi this week for 138 rupees (Rp 25,000). That jumped five times from 27 rupees.
“The increase in the price of tomatoes has had a huge impact on us,” said a housewife, using the name Asha.
“This is unbelievable,” he added.
“Tomatoes are an integral part of our vegetarian diet… (but) these past few days, I’ve been conscious about what I’m cooking because they are very expensive,” he said.
It wasn’t just Asha who was affected. McDonald’s (MCD) restaurants across the country have temporarily stopped serving tomatoes on their burgers citing quality issues and supply shortages.
Connaught Plaza restaurant, which manages McDonald’s franchises in north and east India, posted a sign outside the restaurant. They posted a “couldn’t get enough tomatoes” sign.
“Even McDonald’s can’t afford tomatoes anymore,” wrote Raghav Chadha, a lawmaker from the Aam Aadmi Party on Twitter.
“Whether it’s in our homes or restaurants, with inflation out of control, the government has turned comfort food into sad food,” he explained.
Tomato shortages do occur due to extreme weather. This was later linked to climate change.
India does experience frequent heatwaves during the summer months of May and June. But in recent years, heat waves have come earlier and have become longer.
Last April, India experienced a heatwave that saw temperatures in the nation’s capital surpass 40 degrees Celsius for seven days in a row. In several states, the heat forced school closures, damaged crops and squeezed energy supplies, as officials warned residents to stay indoors and stay hydrated.
“Constant heatwave from April to June this year rendered tomato plants unable to flower during this period, which affected crop yields,” said Sriram Gadve, president of Indian Vegetable Growers’ Association.
“It affects its growth and that’s why this year’s tomato (yield) was affected by 70%,” he said.
Source : CNBC