McDonald's Removes Tomatoes From Burgers As Vegetable Price Hits Record High

New Delhi, July 7: McDonald's restaurants in northern and eastern part of the country have made the decision to remove tomatoes from their burgers and wraps as the price of tomatoes has reached record highs.

Wholesale prices of tomatoes, a staple in traditional Indian cuisine, have skyrocketed by 288 percent within a month, reaching a peak of 140 rupees per kilogram on Friday. Retail prices remain even higher, causing widespread concerns among consumers, said news agency Reuters.

The government has blamed the surge in tomato prices to a lean production season, where monsoon rains disrupt the transportation and distribution of the vegetable. 

Notices posted in two McDonald's stores in New Delhi, the capital city, explain that despite their best efforts, they are unable to source a sufficient quantity of tomatoes that meet their strict quality standards, Reuters has reported. As a result, they are compelled to serve their products without tomatoes. Store managers indicate that the issue stems from problems within the supply chain related to quality, rather than pricing. 

Connaught Plaza Restaurants, which operates around 150 McDonald's outlets as a franchisee in northern and eastern India, attributed the decision to "temporary" seasonal issues. 

On the other hand, Westlife Foodworld, the franchisee responsible for McDonald's restaurants in the western and southern regions, which includes 357 locations, states that there are no significant tomato-related problems. They view the situation as a seasonal matter, which has necessitated a temporary suspension of tomato usage in 10% to 15% of their stores.