Burger King's Indian outlets have followed in the footsteps of McDonald's by excluding tomatoes from their menu due to rising prices. Last month, McDonald's announced that it would temporarily remove tomatoes from its burgers across many of its restaurants in India, citing quality issues and supply shortages. Now, Burger King has stated that they are "unable to add tomatoes" in their Indian outlets. The fast food chain assured customers on its website that tomatoes would make a comeback soon, attributing their absence to unpredictable conditions affecting the quality and supply of tomato crops. It remains unclear if this decision applies to all or only certain stores.
Burger King's move comes as India's central bank raised its inflation forecast for the current financial year, due to increasing prices of certain food items in the country. The rising cost of tomatoes has been a significant factor, with prices surging by over 400% in recent months. Crop failures resulting from scorching heat waves and heavy rains have contributed to the shortage. Although tomato prices have somewhat moderated in August, a kilogram of tomatoes in New Delhi now costs 107 rupees ($1.29), compared to 27 rupees ($0.33) recorded in January.
Indian cuisine heavily relies on tomatoes as an essential ingredient, making the soaring prices a significant concern. Jocelyn Boiteau, a postdoctoral associate at the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition, explains that the limited suitable growing conditions for tomatoes during summer in the southern regions make India vulnerable to supply disruptions caused by climate-related issues. Extreme weather events associated with climate change, such as heavy rains and scorching heat waves, have further exacerbated the challenges faced by tomato farmers.
The impact of the tomato shortage extends beyond fast food chains, with Subway recently announcing an extra charge for cheese slices in most sandwiches at its Indian outlets. These price hikes for food staples reflect the broader challenges faced by India as one of the world's most populous nations, highlighting its vulnerability to the effects of the climate crisis.