From butter chicken to paneer makhani, the tomato is an essential ingredient in Indian cuisine. However, a devastating tomato shortage is currently gripping the nation, driving prices up by over 400%. According to CNN, farmers and agriculture experts attribute this crisis to crop failures caused by scorching heat waves and heavy rains, leaving households and restaurants grappling with the consequences.
The Department of Consumer Affairs reports that the price of tomatoes in the capital city of New Delhi has skyrocketed to 138 rupees ($1.68) per kilogram, marking a fivefold increase from the 27 rupees ($0.33) recorded in January. Families, like that of Asha, a homemaker in New Delhi, are feeling the impact acutely. Asha explains that the price hike has forced her to rethink her cooking choices and has made tomatoes an unaffordable luxury.
McDonald's Forced to Remove Tomatoes from Burgers Amidst Shortage
Even the popular fast-food chain McDonald's has not been spared from the tomato shortage. Some of its restaurants across the country have temporarily halted serving tomatoes on their burgers, citing quality issues and an inadequate supply. Connaught Plaza Restaurants, responsible for managing McDonald's franchises in northern and eastern India, displayed signs outside affected restaurants, explaining that they were unable to procure sufficient quantities of tomatoes that meet their stringent quality standards.
The scarcity of tomatoes can be attributed, in part, to climate change-induced extreme weather conditions. Jocelyn Boiteau from the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition points out that blistering temperatures associated with climate change have afflicted India and other parts of Asia in recent weeks. Last week, global climate tracking agencies recorded the highest temperature ever recorded. While heatwaves are common in India during May and June, their arrival has become earlier and more prolonged in recent years.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that India will be one of the nations most severely affected by the climate crisis, which could affect 1.4 billion people nationwide. A study by the University of Cambridge emphasized that heatwaves in India are placing unprecedented burdens on agriculture, the economy, and public health systems, hindering progress toward development goals.
Crop Failures and Viral Infections Worsen Tomato Supply Shortage
The limited regions in India that are suitable for tomato cultivation during the summer months exacerbate the effects of the current tomato shortage. Consequently, any climate-related issues in these areas can have a significant nationwide impact on the supply of fresh tomatoes. The country has experienced both excessive rainfall and blistering heatwaves this summer, underscoring its vulnerability to the effects of the climate crisis.
Sriram Gadve, president of India's Vegetable Growers Association, explains that continuous heatwaves from April to June prevented tomato plants from flowering, leading to a 70% decrease in crop yield. Additionally, seed-borne viruses infected over 90% of the harvested tomatoes, worsening the supply shortage.
Additionally, farmers reportedly discarded tomatoes due to a lack of demand, exacerbating the shortage further. Devinder Sharma, an agriculture policy expert, notes that while this happens to some extent every year, the scale of wastage this time is particularly significant.
Despite the current crisis, Gadve assures consumers that tomato prices should stabilize soon. The next crop is expected to be harvested and ready for sale within a few weeks, offering hope for a resolution to the shortage.
As India grapples with the impact of climate change, the tomato shortage serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for sustainable practices and measures to mitigate the effects of the ongoing climate crisis on food production and availability.
