Many in India stop eating tomatoes as prices hit record highs

MUMBAI, (Reuters): Indian consumers on Wednesday said they have stopped eating tomatoes and many restaurants in the country have cut back on its use after the vegetable’s price surged more than 500 per cent.

Used widely in Indian cooking, tomato prices have hit record highs in recent weeks as monsoon rains disrupted supplies at a time when seasonal production is typically low, forcing the government to organise mobile vans for subsidised sales.

Many McDonald’s and Subway outlets have dropped tomatoes from their menu items, citing quality issues, but higher food prices are having a broader impact across the industry, while pushing headline inflation numbers above the central bank’s medium-term target.

India’s average per-capita income is estimated to be around $200 per month in 2022-23 and vegetables remain a politically-sensitive commodity. Price spikes in onions – another key ingredients used in Indian cooking – contributed to the fall of more than one state government in the past.