McDonald's Opts to Drop Tomatoes From Menu Amid Soaring Prices

Tomatoes prices continue to rise all across India due to tight supplies caused by rainfall in several parts across the country. Last month hotter-than-normal temperature in the country also impacted the production of the crop. These factors led to a huge fivefold rise in the prices of tomatoes all over the country. Prices of tomato tend to surge in the month of June and July but the price rise this year is quite massive.

Amid the surging prices of tomato, leading fast food chain McDonald's has decided to drop the use of tomatoes from its menu in India. McDonald's decided to suspend use of tomatoes from burgers and wraps due to supply shortage and quality concerns.

According to a notice pasted outside two McDonald's stores based in Delhi, ""Despite our best efforts, we are not able to get adequate quantities of tomatoes which pass our stringent quality checks." The notice was titled as, "Temporary Unavailability of Tomatoes."

"We are forced to serve you products without tomatoes. Rest assured; we are working to get the tomatoes supplies back," added the notice.

Below is the tweet shared by Aditya Shah, SEBI Registered Investment Advisor:

Meanwhile, Westlife Foodworld, McDonald's franchisee for India's western and southern regions, with 357 restaurants, categorically stated there were "no serious tomato-related issues".

According to a Reuters report, "Tomato prices running high? Cook with tomato puree instead!" exhorts an advertisement among the results thrown up by a search for tomatoes on the BigBasket shopping app of the Tata conglomerate.

The government blames the higher prices of tomatoes on a lean production season when monsoon rains disrupt transport and distribution, but it comes after consumers have battled higher prices of items ranging from milk to spices in recent months, added the Reuters report.