The food shortage in the world

Illustration image. The text is updated.  

The food shortage in the world 

Burger King is removing increasingly expensive Indian tomatoes  

Tomato shortages and skyrocketing prices have prompted fast food chain Burger King in India to remove the vegetable from its menus. The chain is thus following the same path as competitors McDonalds and Subway.  

According to Burger King, it is a result of "quality problems", but experts see sharply increased prices as the reason.  

According to CNN, citing the Indian Department of Agriculture, the price of tomato has increased by more than 400 percent in the past few months alone. Bad weather conditions are mentioned among the explanations. 

Illustration image. Ajit Solanki / AP 

Economist: It is entirely reasonable that the chains are also affected  

Prices of vegetables in India have risen by 37 percent in the past year. Whoever puts peas, onions and garlic in the basket has to pay significantly more today, but it is above all tomato prices that are the culprit, according to several media. 

Economist Amnish Aggarwal told Reuters that it is a natural development that the price increases hit Burger King, McDonalds and Subway - all of which have chosen to remove tomatoes from the menu.  

- There is no alternative. 

According to CNN, the price of tomatoes has risen by 400 percent in recent months.