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Eating out is set to become costlier amid rising prices of tomatoes, capsicum and other vegetables as restaurants raise prices to deal with growing expenses.
This week, reports revealed, the price of tomatoes in Delhi markets skyrocketed to Rs 90 per kg, up from the usual Rs 30, due to heavy monsoon rains. The monsoon has also damaged crops at some places, leading to the outcome.
What is behind the rising tomato prices?
The continuous heavy rainfall in key tomato-producing states like Maharashtra and Karnataka has disrupted transportation, leading to a shortage in supply and subsequent price hikes.
Tomatoes, the edible berries, commonly used in a wide range of Indian dishes are prone to rotting easily as they do not have a very long shelf life, contributing to the price hikes amid the rainy season.
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What do restaurant owners say about the situation?
While the extreme price hike is often a seasonal phenomenon, hoteliers say this time it has been above “digestible levels”.
“It has been pinching us across. Our bottom lines are shrinking,” Anjan Chatterjee, founder of Speciality Restaurants, which owns brands like Oh! Calcutta and Mainland China, told The Times of India on Saturday. Chatterjee added that a price review is underway.
Popular eatery Wow! Momo brand co-founder and CEO Sagar Daryani said that if the prices of the vegetables do not come down within the next 20 days, the restaurant's menu could be revised for August-September.
The TOI report also added that smaller restaurants have resorted to ways such as reducing the quantities of vegetables in order to deal with the blow.
According to the report, Mumbai-based Bites N Grill has cut the number of tomato slices used in its burgers. Some other eateries have reportedly rolled back discounts and offers amid the crisis.
Centre expects prices to stablise soon
On July 5, the Centre said that the condition of the crops in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh was good and their produce is expected to hit the markets in a few days, likely stabilising the prices.
“In Karnataka’s Kolar, picking of tomatoes has started and will hit the market within a few days from now,” the Centre said in a statem
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