McDonald’s dropped tomatoes from Indian menus amid supply shortages

The fast-food chain McDonald’s recently made news that they have drop tomatoes from its menu in most of its outlets in northern and eastern India, as the reason is due to seasonal crop issues.

“Despite our best efforts, we are not able to get adequate quantities of tomatoes which pass our stringent quality checks,” read notices posted in two McDonald’s stores in New Delhi, the capital of India.

In some regions, wholesale prices of the staple of traditional Indian cuisine have surged 288 percent in a month to a high of 140 rupees ($1.7) a kg on Friday, with retail prices still higher, spurring many people to cut back on consumption.

The rising cost is a major challenge for restaurants in India, as tomatoes are a staple ingredient in many dishes. The price hike is likely to put further pressure on restaurant margins, and could lead to higher prices for consumers.