Due to amid skyrocketing tomato prices and supply shortages, McDonald outlet in several regions of India have dropped tomatoes from their burgers and wraps, citing concerns over quality.
Wholesale prices of tomatoes have experienced a staggering 288% surge within a month reaching to a high of ₹140 per kg on Friday. The retail prices remain even higher, spurring people to reduce the consumption of tomatoes among many individuals.
The government blames the increased tomato prices to a lean production season, during which transportation and distribution were disrupt by monsoon rains. Apart from this, consumers have already faced higher prices for various items, including milk and spices in the recent months.
Notices displayed at two McDonald's stores in New Delhi, stated, "Despite our best efforts, we are unable to get sufficient quantities of tomatoes that meet our stringent quality standards."
Store managers said that the issue leading to the drop of tomatoes from the served products was related to quality concerns within the supply chain, rather than pricing.
However, Westlife Foodworld, the McDonald's franchisee responsible for 357 restaurants in India's western and southern regions, stated that there were no significant tomato-related concerns. The problem was seasonal, which led to approximately 10% to 15% of their stores temporarily stopping to serve tomatoes.
