Varanasi: In a bid to prevent theft and violence due to the massive increase in tomato prices, a vegetable vendor here in Uttar Pradesh has taken an unconventional step by hiring bouncers. The vendor expressed concerns about the skyrocketing prices of tomatoes leading to aggressive behavior and even instances of tomato looting.
The vendor, Ajay Fauji, explained the rationale behind hiring bouncers for his shop, stating, “I have hired bouncers because the tomato price is too high. People are indulging in violence and even looting tomatoes. Since we have tomatoes in the shop, we don’t want any arguments, so we have bouncers here.” Currently, tomatoes are being sold at a staggering price of Rs 160 per kilogram, forcing customers to purchase only small quantities of 50 or 100 grams.
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
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Tomatoes worth Rs 3 lakh stolen
These concerns about tomato theft are not isolated incidents. Just recently, tomatoes worth Rs 3 lakh were allegedly stolen from a farm in Goni Somanahalli village, located in Hassan district, Karnataka. The theft involved a staggering 90 boxes of tomatoes, worth nearly Rs 3 lakh, leaving the police authorities deeply concerned, PTI reported.
One affected tomato farmer shared his distress, saying, “I have been growing tomatoes for nearly seven to eight years. I never got a good price for the crop. This year, I had a rich harvest, and the price was also favorable. I thought of clearing my loans, but the incident had ruined my happiness.”
Adding to the tomato-related issues, several McDonald’s stores across India have reportedly removed tomatoes from their menu lists. McDonald’s India, North and East, made an announcement on Friday explaining that the decision was due to a “temporary” seasonal issue in tomato procurement.
The surge in tomato prices can be attributed to heavy rainfall, which has had a significant impact on supply chains, transportation and crop quality. As a result, tomato prices in Delhi, Kolkata, and Uttar Pradesh have skyrocketed, reaching a range of Rs 130-155 per kilogram.
According to news reports, the price of tomatoes has touched Rs 150 in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, while other regions of the country also face surging prices. In Delhi’s Safal store, tomatoes are being sold at Rs 129 per kilogram.
The unprecedented increase in tomato prices and the subsequent measures taken by vendors and businesses highlight the challenges faced by both sellers and consumers in coping with the current tomato crisis.
