NEW DELHI: Tomatoes, an essential ingredient in Indian cuisine, have witnessed an alarming price hike of 445%, surpassing the cost of petrol.
This sudden surge has shocked citizens and compelled them to curtail their consumption of this staple food item.
According to data compiled by the food ministry, the price of tomatoes in New Delhi skyrocketed to INR120 ($1.45) per kilogram on Thursday, marking a staggering difference of INR98 from the beginning of 2023 when it was priced at INR22 per kilogram.
In contrast, petrol was sold for approximately 96 rupees per litre in the capital.
The Indian government attributes this sharp price jump to a lean production season. While tomatoes tend to become pricier during June and July each year, the extent of the increase this year is bewildering, with prices rising five-fold due to monsoon rains disrupting transportation and distribution.
Unfortunately, this excessive surge in tomato prices is not the only burden Indian consumers have had to bear in recent months. They have also experienced inflated prices for other essential commodities such as milk and spices.
Furthermore, the soaring rates have forced several outlets of the popular fast-food franchise, McDonald’s, to remove tomatoes from their menu items.
Notices displayed at two McDonald’s stores in New Delhi state, “Despite our best efforts, we are unable to procure sufficient quantities of tomatoes that meet our stringent quality standards. Consequently, we are compelled to serve products without tomatoes.”
However, store managers clarified that this decision resulted from quality issues in the supply chain rather than solely being driven by pricing concerns.
In a country where price surges have the potential to influence election outcomes, the exorbitant costs of staple food items could hinder efforts to drive economic growth.
Social media reacts
Following the price hike, several Indians have taken to social media to vent their rage in admittedly amusing posts.
Google searches
One social media user said that their Google searches have changed following the hike in tomato prices.
My Google search these days.#Tomato pic.twitter.com/jwh6bXJgNq
— ನಿವೇದಿತಾ ಪಾಂಡನ (@nivedithapanda1) July 7, 2023
India: #Tomato prices surge to five times normal cost; Triggering social media Memes Fest#Tomatoes #TomatoPrice #TomatoPriceHike #tomatoesprice #tomatoprices pic.twitter.com/Abg4QFqxJk
— Ritam English (@EnglishRitam) July 8, 2023
