NEW DELHI: McDonald’s has removed tomatoes from their burgers and other food items in many parts of India. This action by the popular fast food chain comes as tomato prices have skyrocketed in the last month. McDonald’s - North and East- on Friday said it is dropping tomatoes from its menu items due to a “temporary” seasonal issue in procurement and that they will bring back them on the menu soon. A large number of its outlets in Delhi also hung a notice about the unavailability of tomatoes.
Owing to a host of factors such as prolonged heatwaves and heavy rain in certain geographies, tomato prices have skyrocketed in the last month, forcing many state governments to take action. In some regions, wholesale prices of tomatoes have tripled in a month to a high of 140 rupees, with retail prices soaring even higher.
“Due to seasonal crop issues arising out of farm fields in a few regions, there are not enough quantities meeting our quality specifications available. To ensure our customers get the best quality we are known to serve, we are constrained to hold tomatoes for the time being,” said McDonald’s India - North and East Spokesperson.
The spokesperson reiterated that it is not due to a surge in prices but to the non-availability of tomatoes meeting their quality specifications. “We are working towards resolving this issue by employing sustainable agriculture practices including hydroponically-grown tomatoes in controlled environment to de-risk our requirements from the vagaries of the season. We should be able to bring back tomatoes to the menu soon,” added the spokesperson added.