In the wake of a recent surge in tomato prices, restaurants in the city are facing a significant challenge as tomatoes go missing from their dishes. The skyrocketing prices of this essential vegetable have taken a toll on the food and beverage industry, forcing even restaurant-goers to grapple with the situation.
While many restaurant owners express their inability to completely eliminate tomatoes or tomato-based dishes from their menus despite the soaring prices, numerous eateries such as bakeries, chaat bandars, and roadside vendors are left with no choice but to either remove tomatoes from their dishes or reduce the quantity.
Ram Prakash Yadav, a roadside vendor running a pani puri/chaat stall in Yousufguda, revealed that he stopped purchasing tomatoes as soon as their prices started to rise at the beginning of the month. “In my stall, I sell bhelpuri for ₹40, and earlier I used to include tomatoes that costed between ₹30 and ₹40 per kilogram. However, now the price of 1 kilogram of tomatoes ranges from ₹120 to ₹140. Increasing the price of my dish would mean losing customers, so I had to stop adding tomatoes,” said Yadav.
Similarly, a bakery owner in Srinagar Colony said that tomatoes are primarily used in burgers, sandwiches, and a few other items. Due to the sudden price increase, they have reduced their purchasing capacity and are now using limited quantities of tomatoes in their bakery items.
Meanwhile, renowned vegetarian restaurants like Santosh Dhaba are refusing to compromise on the taste and quantity that attracts customers, regardless of the price hike. RD Tiwari, manager of Santosh Family Dhaba at Lakdikapul, emphasised the importance of maintaining their service and taste to retain their customer base. He explained, “Our profit margin is affected significantly. Previously, we would purchase a kilogram of tomatoes for ₹15 and ₹20, but now we are buying it at ₹120. We procure one carton weighing 25 kilograms daily, and during weekends, we need extra supplies due to the heavy influx of customers.”
Contrary to reports of fast food chains discontinuing tomato usage in some parts of the country, no such situation has been observed in Hyderabad at present. A representative from a Subway store located beneath Irrum Manzil Metro Station clarified that their vegetable supplier maintains consistent prices for all of their stores across the city, including tomatoes and other vegetables.
