McDonald’s has stopped using tomatoes in food preparations at most of its locations in northern and eastern India amid a fivefold surge in prices as adverse weather conditions have limited the crop’s output.
The global fast food chain cited the non-availability of quality products and a sharp rise in cost as reasons for curbing tomato usage according to the Press Trust of India.
Prices of the Indian household staple have spiked recently as delayed monsoons, heavy rains and hotter-than normal temperatures have impacted the country’s growing areas.
READ: A 445% Price Jump Puts Tomatoes Ahead of Gasoline in India (1)
Tomatoes are used widely in cuisines across India and price jumps can trigger widespread protests similar to those caused by onions, which have literally toppled governments in the South Asian nation.
Cost fluctuations can also scramble central bank efforts to control inflation and its disproportionate impact on economically vulnerable groups, according to a study by researchers at the Reserve Bank of India published on July 6.
Tomatoes, onions and potatoes make up a small portion of the nation’s Consumer Price Index Combined basket but are major contributors to the volatility of headline inflation, the study said. A rise in their prices can lead to cost increases of other vegetables and goods, and negatively impact inflation and food security.
