From hiring security to smartphone offers: How Indian vendors are dealing with a 288% surge in tomato prices

Prices of tomatoes have risen dramatically across India.

In some regions, wholesale prices of the staple of traditional Indian cuisine have surged 288 per cent in a month to a high of Rs140 ($1.7) a kg on Friday, with retail prices still higher, spurring many people to cut back on consumption.

The government blames the higher prices of tomatoes on a lean production season when monsoon rains disrupt transport and distribution, but it comes after consumers have battled higher prices of items ranging from milk to spices in recent months.

Over the last week, the price hikes have resulted in headlines with a lot more drama than simple economics. From hiring muscle to protect produce to all-out brawls with customers, take a look at the most viral stories to have emerged from this price war.

Gang hijacks truck

A gang hijacked and fled with a truck laden with two tonnes of tomatoes under the garb of a road rage incident in Bengaluru. A farmer was transporting tomatoes from his farm to the city, and while on the way, the accused followed the truck and intercepted it. They accused the farmer of ramming into their car and damaging it.

When the farmer tried to reason with them, the three men assaulted him before taking control of the truck, demanding money for repair. When they realised the farmer did not have money, they pushed him out of the vehicle and sped away with the truck loaded with 250 crates of tomatoes.

Tomatoes off McDonald's menu

Hit by supply shortages and quality concerns after prices of tomatoes soared to record highs, fast food chain McDonald's have dropped tomatoes from their burgers and wraps in many parts of India.

"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. "We are forced to serve you products without tomatoes."

Heavy price to pay

In Pune, an argument over tomato prices got so heated that a vendor hit a customer with a weighing scale.

According to Indian media reports, the vendor informed the customer that the price of the tomatoes was Rs20 for 250gm. When the buyer insisted the price was too high, the vendor began abusing him. He struck the customer in the face, following which he also proceeded to hit him with the weighing scale.

Wanted: Security

A political party worker in India has hired bouncers to protect his tomatoes.

The man also has a grocery business in Varanasi and realised that buyers were getting aggressive while haggling for tomatoes. Having reportedly experienced the same himself, he said he hired bouncers to take care of the tomatoes and keep customers in check.

Buy a phone, get free tomatoes

A smartphone shop owner in the state of Madhya Pradesh came up with an unusual offer: 2kg of tomatoes with every smartphone purchase.

In an interview, the owner said that he wanted to do something different after he saw tomato prices surge across the country and decided to put out a special bundle offer in light of the circumstances. He claims that footfall at his store has since increased.

(With inputs from agencies)

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