WATCH: UP Vegetable Vendor Hires Bouncers to Protect Tomatoes as Prices Skyrocket

A vegetable vendor in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, has resorted to hiring bouncers to handle the surge in tomato prices. Due to the soaring costs, customers have become aggressive, leading to incidents of violence and even theft. The vendor, Ajay Fauji, cited the need to maintain order and prevent conflicts in his shop, where tomatoes are being sold for Rs 160 per kg.

VIDEO | A vegetable vendor in Varanasi, UP has hired bouncers to keep customers at bay when they come to buy tomatoes, whose price has increased massively over the past few days. "I have hired bouncers because the tomato price is too high. People are indulging in violence and… pic.twitter.com/qLpO86i9Ux

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 9, 2023

McDonald’s, the renowned fast-food chain, has made the decision to remove tomatoes from its burgers and wraps in various parts of India. The move is a response to the record-high tomato prices, reaching up to Rs 200 per kg in some markets. McDonald’s India – North and East attributed the absence of tomatoes to seasonal crop issues and is actively seeking sustainable agricultural solutions to resolve the problem.

The escalating tomato prices have had an impact nationwide. On Thursday, retail prices surged to ₹162 per kg, primarily due to limited supplies caused by rainfall in multiple regions. Kolkata recorded the highest retail price at ₹152 per kg, followed by Delhi at ₹120 per kg, Chennai at ₹117 per kg, and Mumbai at ₹108 per kg. The average retail tomato price across India was ₹95.58 per kg.

In a recent report by Market Intelligence and Analytics, the average cost of a thali (a complete meal) was assessed based on prevailing input prices in different regions of India. While the prices of tur and gram increased by 3% sequentially in June, contributing to the rise in thali prices, the cost of both veg and non-veg thalis decreased by 5% compared to the same period last year. This decline can be attributed to the significant drop in vegetable and cooking oil prices, which account for 25% of the total cost of a veg thali.

The report further highlighted that the decrease in thali cost was supported by a 15% year-on-year decline in onion and potato prices, as well as a 20% decrease in cooking oil prices in June. However, the rising prices of wheat atta (9% increase), rice (12% increase), and pulses (8% increase) in June prevented a more significant decline in the overall cost of a veg thali. Similarly, a slight decrease of up to 4% in broiler prices contributed to the drop in the cost of a non-veg thali.