Tomato prices in India have skyrocketed so much that it has caused social unrest in the country. There have been protests, assaults on plantations, and even the hijacking of trucks carrying tomatoes, which are currently more expensive than gasoline.
According to the India Times, the cost of a kilo of tomatoes in Delhi markets has increased by 700% since January, an increase that has even led McDonald's to remove the slices of tomatoes from all their products in the country.
Why has the price of tomatoes increased so much? According to experts, several factors led to this increase. The main factor, however, is that there were very poor harvests due to weather issues. According to a report from Outlook India, "This year's first harvest was affected by the sudden heat, which caused pest attacks on tomato crops, reducing production. Leaf viruses wreaked so much havoc in Karnataka and Maharashtra that the local Agricultural Products Market Committee received 40% fewer tomatoes this year."
This will be one of India's biggest challenges in the future. According to a study published this year by the University of Cambridge, "India is currently facing a collision of multiple cumulative climate hazards. Long-term projections indicate that Indian heat waves could cross the survivability limit for a healthy human resting in the shade by 2050."
Scientists say that "since 1992, more than 24,000 people have died from heat waves in India." According to Cambridge, the future scenario is much worse: "Estimates show a 15% decline in the ability to work outdoors during the day due to extreme heat in 2050. The increase in heat is expected to cost India between 2.8% and 8.7% of its GDP."
Some states have already taken measures to control inflation and have begun to sell tomatoes at reduced prices at points of sale managed by the authorities.
This situation has led to an illegal trade in tomatoes in India. The India Today newspaper recently showed images of two vehicles loaded with tomatoes coming from Nepal, despite the fact that vegetable imports from the neighboring country are banned. "A kilo of tomatoes in Nepal costs 60 rupees, and in India, it costs 150 rupees," the newspaper stated.
Source: elconfidencial.com