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Tomato prices pinching? Here are 8 tasty Indian recipes without it

Even as the soaring prices of tomatoes are burning a hole in the common man's pocket, a farmer from Pune in Maharashtra has become a millionaire by selling his bountiful yield of the key kitchen staple for ₹3 crore in just over a month while overcoming various challenges. Farmer Ishwar Gaykar (36), from Pachghar village in Junnar tehsil of Pune district, had faced a difficult decision of dumping a large quantity of harvested tomatoes in May this year due to low prices. Undeterred by the setback, he continued to exhibit unwavering determination and work tirelessly on his 12-acre farm to cultivate tomatoes. Now, amid the skyrocketing prices of tomatoes, Gaykar's hard work has paid off handsomely, transforming him into a millionaire as he claimed to have earned ₹3 crore through the sale of his crop yield between June 11 and July 18. Talking to PTI, Gaykar said during the period, he sold 18,000 crates of tomatoes (each crate comprising 20 kg of tomatoes) at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) at Narayangaon in Junnar tehsil for ₹3 crore. He aims to earn another ₹50 lakh by selling the remainder of the produce, which is roughly 4,000 crates. The total input cost of cultivation, including transportation, was ₹40 lakh, he said. "I have an 18-acre farm where I cultivate tomatoes on 12 acres. I have sold 18,000 crates since June 11 and have so far earned ₹3 crore," said Gaykar. On June 11, his produce fetched a price of ₹770 per crate (₹37-38 per kg), and on July 18, he sold tomatoes at ₹2,200 per crate (₹110 per kg ). Gaykar, who is now happy to earn handsome dividends on the produce, recalled how he had to dump a large quantity of harvested tomatoes just two months back due to low prices. "This is the best of times for the tomato growers, but we have witnessed worst times also. In the month of May, I grew tomatoes on one-acre land, but had to throw away large quantities of the produce as the prices were very low. I had thrown the produce away as the per crate rate was just ₹50, which means ₹2.50 per kg," he said. Gaykar also said that in 2021, he incurred losses worth ₹15-16 lakh and last year also he just earned a narrow profit margin. "When I was throwing the tomatoes in May this year, this yield on the 12-acre land was under cultivation. Undeterred by the setback, I kept up my resilience and commitment towards farming and continued spending on the cultivation of tomatoes," he said. "I took good care of the produce even in the scorching May heat. Due to the high temperatures, tomato cultivation in other parts took a beating, but farmers like me benefitted as we continued to work hard," he said. Another farmer Raju Mahale, who earned more than ₹20 lakh by selling 2,500 crates in the current season, said he was also jittery about tomato cultivation after May as the per acre input cost was around ₹3.5 lakh. But, he went ahead with the cultivation, receiving good dividends now. Narayangaon agriculture market trader Akshay Solat, who purchased Gaykar's produce, said as there was a boom in the market again, he purchased tomatoes at ₹ 2,400 per crate. "I have been in this trading business for the last 15 years, but I have never seen such a boom in the tomato market. Once there was a rate of ₹ 1,500 to ₹ 1,600 per crate, but such price-wise consistency in the tomato market was never witnessed," he said. He, however, said only a handful of farmers have earned handsomely this season, including farmers from Pachghar, Otur, Ambegavhan, and Rokdi. Narayangaon APMC chief Sanjay Kale said generally in this season, their market receives 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh crates of tomatoes per day, but in the current season, it has dropped to 30,000 to 35,000 crates per day. "In the last two years, farmers incurred huge losses and could not recover their production costs, which resulted in a drop in production. During the summers, the tomato crop suffered from diseases, forcing the farmers to abandon their tomato farms," he said. "I generally get tomatoes from across the state, but because of the aforementioned reasons, the market committee is receiving the produce from Junnar and Ambegaon tehsils. These are the reasons why tomato prices have skyrocketed and demand has soared," he said. Kale said since the production of tomatoes has taken a beating in north India, traders from other states come to the market in Narayangaon to purchase the key kitchen staple. The National Cooperative Consumers' Federation (NCCF) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) last week started selling tomatoes at a discounted rate of ₹ 90 per kg in Delhi-NCR and Patna in a bid to provide relief to consumers amid the high prices. The Centre had directed the two cooperatives to procure tomatoes from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra for distribution in major consumption centres, where retail prices have recorded maximum increase in the last month. "Though the NCCF and NAFED started selling tomatoes at the discounted rate, the government is buying the produce at ₹ 110 or ₹ 120 per kg, so farmers will continue to get what they are getting now," Kale said.

Sky-high tomato prices make Pune farmer a millionaire as he earns ₹3 cr in one month

<ul><li>The prices and supply of tomatoes were hit after erratic and extended monsoons affected tomato-producing states.</li><li>Tomatoes and onions are are used in at least 60% of common Indian recipes. </li><li>Government is moving stocks of tomato puree into outlets, and sales will begin tomorrow at Delhi and NCR region. </li><li>The ministry also asked the tomato producing states to regularly interact with wholesale markets, traders and transporters to ensure regular supply. </li></ul>Indian households have been struggling this festive season as the retail prices of tomatoes went as high as ₹60-70 per kilogram (kg). Tomato and onion---which also rose to ₹50-60 per kg--- are used in at least 60% of common Indian savory recipes. This affected the lifestyle of most Indians. In Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), the supply of tomatoes has been hit too. But the Union Government is looking to remedy the situation. “To mitigate the shortfall in availability of tomatoes in Delhi, Safal has agreed to provide tomato puree from all its outlets in Delhi at ₹ 25 per 200 gram pack which is equivalent to about 800 grams of tomatoes,” said a press release by the Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs. This decision was taken after the chaired an inter-ministerial meeting on the issue. 
 
 
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 Stocks of tomato puree are being moved into outlets and sales will begin tomorrow at Delhi and NCR region. The sizes of these packs are also growing. For example, a larger pack of 825 grams worth ₹85 will also be made available, and is equivalent to about 2.5 kg of tomatoes. But the citizens hopefully won’t have to subsist on puree for a long time. The prices and supply of tomatoes were hit after erratic and extended monsoons affected tomato producing states like Maharashtra and Karnataka. “The representatives of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare informed that supply will normalize in the next 10 days as monsoon rains are already receding,” the Secretary assured. The ministry also asked the tomato producing states to regularly interact with wholesale markets, traders and transporters to ensure regular supply. “The same is being reiterated to four major tomato producing States of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, so that prices normalize and supply is augmented immediately,” the Secretary said.

Indian government is offering puree as an alternative to costly tomatoes

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Burger King in India has taken tomatoes off the menu due to food inflation, per <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/burger-king-says-tomatoes-vacation-india-battles-food-inflation-2023-08-16/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a>.</li><li>Signs outside two outlets in the country explained that it's because tomatoes "need a vacation" too.</li></ul>Burger King in India has stopped serving tomatoes as a result of food inflation in the country, which is at its highest this week since January 2020, per <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/burger-king-says-tomatoes-vacation-india-battles-food-inflation-2023-08-16/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a>.But two of the fast-food chain's outlets in India have decided to put a lighthearted spin on explaining the ingredient's absence."Even tomatoes need a vacation... we are unable to add tomatoes to our food," signs posted outside these two outlets said, per Reuters. Burger King, which has over 400 outlets in India, is the latest fast-food giant in the country to remove the ingredient from their menus, per Reuters.McDonald's in India stopped serving tomatoes in July due to quality concerns as a result of shortages in supply, per <a href="https://www.cnbctv18.com/business/companies/mcdonalds-drops-tomatoes-from-menu-items-temporary-issue-prices-shortage-17150031.htm">CNBC TV18</a>.Following McDonald's, Subway in India also dropped tomatoes from its menu that same month, the <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/after-mcdonalds-some-subway-outlets-drop-tomatoes-from-sandwiches-and-other-dishes/articleshow/102037408.cms?from=mdr">Times of India</a> reported.Like McDonald's, notices outside a few Subway outlets in New Delhi attributed the unavailability of tomatoes due to quality issues."Despite our best efforts, we are not able to get adequate quantities of tomatoes which pass our world class stringent quality checks. Hence for the time being we are forced to serve you products without tomatoes," a notice at a Subway outlet at the New Delhi airport read, per the Times of India. The prices of tomatoes have increased drastically in recent months.The daily average retail price per kilogram of tomatoes was 119.16 rupees, or $1.43, on July 16, up from 34.66 rupees, or $0.42, almost one year ago on August 16, 2022, per <a href="https://fcainfoweb.nic.in/Reports/DB/Dailyprices.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from India's Department of Consumer Affairs.In an effort to manage the tomato crisis, the Indian government has organized a fleet of vans to sell the crop at cheaper rates across the country, per Reuters.The National Cooperative Consumer's Federation of India <a href="https://twitter.com/Nccf_India/status/1682614049186500609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1682614049186500609%7Ctwgr%5Efced103d5a6719e5259b9147dd7658cfe1dcd60d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Fworld%2Findia%2Fsome-subway-india-outlets-drop-tomatoes-citing-poor-quality-amid-price-surge-2023-07-22%2F">posted a video on X</a> — formerly known as Twitter — depicting the scene at one of these initiatives. In the video, many people can be seen queuing to buy tomatoes from a truck. Ironically, the current tomato shortage in India comes right after a bumper harvest that caused prices to crash, per <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/21/world/asia/india-tomatoes-shortages-climate-change.html">The New York Times</a>.In May, some farmers even resorted to dumping tomatoes on the road because they were unable to sell them, per the <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nashik/farmers-dump-tomatoes-on-roads-as-prices-crash/articleshow/100367606.cms?from=mdr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Times of India</a>.Burger King did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.

Burger King in India says tomatoes 'need a vacation' too — they have been removed from the menu due to inflation

<ul><li>Mumbai’s residents are paying ₹140 per kilogram for good quality onions and many are also buying half rotten products at a lower price. </li><li>In Hyderabad, government owned farmer’s markets are selling limited quantity of onions at subsidized rate. </li><li>The high price of onion and garlic has affected the sale and prices of meat and meat products. </li></ul> When people in Maharashtra are not worrying about who is their chief minister, they are bothered with rising prices of onions. And there is a reason. The city of Mumbai is saddled with the costliest market price of this staple food—at ₹140 per kilogram (kg). This of course is for good quality onions. There is a large market for partly squashed and rotting onions as well, which is going at an exorbitant price of ₹80 a kilo. For good quality onions though, the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/commodities/news/wholesale-onion-prices-hit-rs-100/kg/articleshow/72269648.cms">wholesale price </a>itself hit a ₹100. All the other major cities too are buying onions at around ₹100 a kg as indicated in the table below. Traders, however, say that customers too have significantly reduced onion consumption. 
 
 
 
 
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 In the city of Hyderabad however, government owned farmer’s markets called Rythu Bazaars are selling onions ₹30 below the market rate. “But for that we have to stand in line for hours together and show Aadhar cards. Even after that, only a limited quantity of onions is given like one or two kgs,” Jaya RaviShankar, a homemaker from the city, told Business Insider. The high price of onion and garlic, which is also above ₹120 a kilo, has affected the sale of meat and meat products. The retail prices of chicken came down by ₹10 as per data collected from Navi Mumbai market in Vashi. The price of onions went up considerably after erratic rains affected crops in major onion producing states like Karnataka, Telangana and Maharashtra. Rains have been affecting the supply and consumption of many fruits and vegetables but the rising cost of staples has been disrupting Indian home economics. Last month, tomato prices have peaked to around ₹70 per kilo. That had forced Delhi government to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/indian-government-is-offering-puree-as-an-alternative-to-costly-tomatoes/articleshow/71534211.cms">peddle tomato puree </a>as an alternative—especially during the festive season. 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="Onion prices hit ₹150 in some parts of Mumbai (1)" msid="72276233" hostid="261"></div>







 Source: Retail markets from each city

Desperate Indians queue up for cheap onions or buy half rotten ones as prices soar

<ul><li>Nutrition expert Dr. <keyword id="4449519" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="nandita-iyer">Nandita Iyer</keyword> shares her views on what the term ‘<keyword id="1695225" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Superfood">superfood</keyword>’ actually means, and whether we need to indulge in the trend or not. </li><li>Any food that has a high proportion of one or more of these nutrients — such as vitamins, minerals or antioxidants — qualifies to be known as a superfood</li><li>"If you look at Indian superfoods, something like <keyword id="6400986" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="amla">amla</keyword> clearly tops the list because if blueberries are topping every international listicle on superfoods, amla has fifty times the antioxidant capacity of blueberries." - Dr. Nandita Iyer </li></ul> From <keyword id="55635" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Turmeric">turmeric</keyword> to <keyword id="6446946" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ghee">ghee</keyword>, Indians often tend to undervalue their historic possessions, but the moment it starts making waves abroad, we are more than willing to embrace something that was available to us all along. And strangely enough, some also resort to splurging copious amounts of money on imported fruits, vegetables, seeds, oils and whatnot while ignoring the real gems our land provides us. Business Insider spoke to nutrition expert Dr. Nandita Iyer who, after her first book — The Everyday Healthy Vegetarian — is set to launch her next book Everyday Superfoods in March, this year. She shares her views on what the term ‘superfood’ actually means, and whether we need to indulge in the trend or not. <div type="Video" msid="81211869" hostid="261" title="Dr. Nandita Iyer weighs in on how Indian cuisine is and always has been packed with 'superfoods'" dataSource="BUSINESSINSIDER" thumbUrl="https://denmark.timesinternet.in/cmslite/api/app/images.jpg?msid=81211869"></div> In her book, she has a section on 'Superfood Compendium' in which she lists out 39 of the most potent superfoods grown in India. These include: <div type="image" title="Superfoods" msid="81242013" hostid="261"></div> <div type="image" title="Indian superfoods" msid="81241421" hostid="261"></div> Edited excerpts of the conversation with Dr. Nandita Iyer follow: What is your definition of a superfood? When I was researching my book Everyday Superfoods, the first question that came to my mind is, how did this word come into being? And what I discovered was quite funny. The first-ever recorded usage of this word was in a Jamaican newspaper, and it was actually a reference to a wine brand — they just got creative. And the second known instance was in 1949, where another Canadian newspaper was advertising a muffin using the word superfood. So I think that the whole thing of using this term for marketing is definitely not a new thing because even before the term started being used in its true sense of the word, it was actually being used by brands. The definition of a superfood is pretty simple — it is any food that is nutrient-dense. Any food that has a high proportion of one or more of these nutrients — such as vitamins, minerals or antioxidants — qualifies to be known as a superfood, which is the well-accepted definition in the scientific community. Some believe it is just a marketing gimmick. Would you say otherwise? A true superfood will definitely have health benefits that are good for general health and boosting immunity. But to loosely use this term for processed goods, packaged foods, is definitely, I would say, a marketing gimmick. In the pre-Covid times, I used to love walking around supermarkets and see what new products were there. And invariably, there would be a whole bunch of new products that called themselves superfood, which is pretty misleading. It is the worst possible way to mislead people who may not be aware of nutrition and who may not be having a scientific bent of mind, so they may believe what is written on the packet. It is just a way to jack up the price of any product — if a regular food item costs X, by calling it a superfood, you can easily charge 5X. Considering the environmental cost, what are your thoughts on imported food items like avocados, <keyword id="573117" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Quinoa">quinoa</keyword> etc. In my book Everyday Superfoods, I have a whole chapter on sustainability. Anything that gets the label of a superfood does benefit the farmers who are growing that particular superfood. However, it also leads to a whole bunch of other unpleasant side effects. Instead of focusing on what is local, instead of focusing on what is in season, everybody starts rushing towards buying that one thing because it is in trend, it is popular, and it is getting a lot of attention and likes on Instagram, and that is not a good way to eat at all. If a lot of farmers start growing turmeric alone because it is the next big thing it will lead to monocropping - where farmers, instead of growing a variety of foods, grow one kind of food in one place. And that means the soil gets depleted, so they are adding extra fertilisers, further polluting groundwater. So it is like a vicious cycle. When it comes to quinoa, I think it started getting popular in the 1980s in the US because it began getting imported from Central America etc. Then the United Nations (UN) declared 2013 "The International Year of Quinoa." That just led to prices going up, and every farmer in South America was growing quinoa, and they did not even want to eat it themselves because they said, 'I could sell it for so much more so why should I eat into my own earnings, right?' The locals themselves stopped eating their ancient grains, something they were so used to, and they started eating wheat and other grains. It just destroys the balance of things in nature. This is why the emphasis is on - what is local, what is in season, and what have your ancestors been eating? Michael Pollan is someone I really consider a guru, and he says, "Don't eat anything your great-great-grandmother wouldn't recognise as food." And did my great, great grandmother know about quinoa? That said, this is a complex issue. Quinoa is now well grown in Karnataka. That is why the prices have fallen from what used to be like Rs 1500 or kilo to now it is literally Rs 200 a kilo. The good thing is that the crop does not consume as much water as rice because it is a pseudo-grain and grows in slightly harsher conditions. So it is okay for me to buy quinoa, which is locally-grown and it has not travelled 10,000 miles to reach me. So there is no binary in this aspect, which is why this whole subject is so complex and so tough for people to decide what to eat, what not to eat. It takes a few extra seconds to see the back of the pack and see where it is grown because it will definitely be mentioned. <div type="image" title="Amla" msid="81241745" hostid="261"></div> Can you give us a bit of a primer on Indian superfoods? Since we talked about how it is not really a label that matters, the questions we need to ask are, is this a nutrient-dense food? Is this locally available? Is it readily available? Because anything you label as a superfood is usually costly, it is not available round the year and is often imported from far away. These will be very difficult to include in your daily diet, and like we already discussed, no superfood is a miracle pill that you eat once a year, and your life will be sorted. So, whatever it is, it needs to be consumed in a fairly regular way. It needs to be part of your lifestyle, and for that purpose, these can only be readily available and affordable foods. If you look at Indian superfoods, something like amla clearly tops the list because if blueberries are topping every international listicle on superfoods, amla has fifty times the antioxidant capacity of blueberries. And it is so cheap, local, and though it is seasonal, the beauty in Indian food and Indian cuisine is that there are at least five different ways in which amla is preserved - it is dried, it is made into a supari, it is preserved in honey, it is preserved as a sharbat, and of course, pickled. So while amla is available possibly for three months in a year, we can actually eat it round the year by just using our traditional preservation techniques. We do not need any factory or industry to be preserving it, these are all home-based preservation techniques. Fermented drinks like kombucha seem to be all the rage. What are the Indian alternatives to the same? So, we have our chaach, and there is a kaanji made in the North using mustard seeds and carrots fermented over two to three days. In the South, you have kanji, which is nothing but rice that is overcooked and soft and some buttermilk is added to that, and it is actually kept overnight to ferment. Sometimes it is also hard because when there was rice leftover the previous night and there was no refrigeration in the earlier days, so people would just add water to the rice and leave it outside on the counter. Next morning, it will be slightly fermented, and they will have it with some chopped onion or pickle. In Odisha, you have the pakhala bhata, which is again a similar thing where it is an overnight fermented rice gruel. This is a double dose of probiotics from fermenting the rice itself, and you are adding buttermilk, which is also a fermented drink. Do you believe that those who are not buying into this trend are destined for doom? I definitely think they are not doomed. But the superfoods I have mentioned in my book are so every day that invariably, people living in India are eating many of them in their standard diet. Like dark green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, lobia (black-eyed peas), green moong, these are all everyday ingredients but poor things — they do not come with this crown or this fancy label, but they are superfoods. Whether you buy into the trend or not, if you are eating Indian cuisine, you are already eating many of these things. We eat turmeric every single day, and black pepper is there in our masalas, plus our chai masala has so many ingredients. So Indian cuisine is so rich in superfoods by itself that even if someone is a non-believer in this trend, they are already eating it. I am sorry to disappoint them. However, it is definitely not true that they are doomed if they do not buy into the trend because, anything that we adapt, it has to be a gradual change in lifestyle itself, and that is what we need to believe and invest in it rather than just flipping from trend to trend because a trend is very temporary and a lifestyle is forever. In life, health and nutrition, there are absolutely no binaries. People want binary answers because it saves them from analysing their own life and health problems. They need to think for themselves and find out, 'Am I able to do this? Is this sustainable for me?' This is why I get quite frustrated when I see a YouTube video saying, 'drink this pink tea and you will lose 20 kilos'. Which is one of the reasons I wrote this book. It is not fancy, it is not clickbait, and it is not anything shocking. It is pretty much everyday knowledge, but definitely, that common knowledge and moderation seem to be somewhere lurking in the background. It is not convincing enough for people to follow a more moderate path. Also, our health is heavily dependent on our genetic lottery. I may abuse my health in every possible way, and I may still live to 100 with absolutely no problems. And someone who is so careful about their health does everything right and suffers a cardiac problem in their 40s. I am not saying follow the trend and go after every superfood you see, but try to take some baby steps towards a good lifestyle that you sustain for life. Not something you do because it is in the news today. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/ignore-low-cibil-score-for-street-vendor-loans-work-on-holidays-and-other-diktats-from-indian-government-to-banks-rushing-to-meet-march-target/articleshow/81223572.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">EXCLUSIVE: Ignore low CIBIL score for street vendor loans, work on holidays, and other diktats from Indian government to banks rushing to meet March target</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/bharat-bandh-over-eight-crore-traders-across-india-shut-shop-in-protest-against-rising-fuel-prices-and-changes-in-gst-rules/articleshow/81223361.cms">Bharat Bandh – over eight crore traders across India shut shop in protest against rising fuel prices and changes in GST rules</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/rbi-wants-you-to-memorise-all-your-debit-and-credit-card-numbers/articleshow/81186570.cms">RBI wants you to memorise all your debit and credit card numbers — Amazon, Zomato, Netflix and others argue this will make online payments more tedious</a>

Whether we like it or not, Indians are already partaking in the superfood ‘trend’

It’s not happening for the first time. But tomatoes and onions get expensive price tags in August and continue till the autumn breeze touches the subcontinent. And this year, tomatoes are already selling at Rs 70 a kilo in wholesale markets, which means it will touch Rs 120- Rs 140 when it reaches retail market. So is the case with onions. Having touched Rs 30 a kilo at wholesale markets, you can expect to buy those for Rs 70 or more. "There's not enough supply,” <keyword id="4856744" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="vandana-vilas-temkar">Vandana Vilas Temkar</keyword>, one the very few women traders in Narayangaon tomato market told the Economic Times. "Early last week, we were buying tomatoes at Rs 1,600 per crate. Now it has softened a bit. Farmers are now selling to us in Rs 900-1,200 range." The onion supply has also been hit. From 3.04 lakh tonnes in June, it has become 2.8 lakh tonnes in July, according to <keyword id="483754" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="national-horticulture-board">National Horticulture Board</keyword> data. While onions may keep hovering at a high rate, tomatoes may cost a bit less once once fresh produce from Lasalgaon, Pimpalgaon, Nashik and Dindori hit the market in the third week of August. So what’s ailing the farmers in India and burning a hole in your pocket? Well experts say, lower prices, weak supply chains, depleting yield, poor quality seeds and seedlings, climate change have all spurred them to switch crops for good, from decades of cultivating tomatoes to sugarcane, maize, soya, cauliflower, even grapes. "The government has not developed infrastructure to help farmers producing perishable vegetables. This is one reason why you see glut-and-shortage situations at regular intervals," <keyword id="4856743" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="pritam-kalia">Pritam Kalia</keyword>, emeritus scientist (vegetable sciences), Indian Agricultural Research Institute (<keyword id="275188" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="iari">IARI</keyword>) told ET. In 2015-16, tomato growers started using 1057, a seed variety bio-engineered by an <keyword id="6362175" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="mnc">MNC</keyword>. This was later proven to be susceptible to virus attacks. "It started 'the tiranga' virus that bore coloured patches on the fruit. A good portion of our crop was destroyed then," <keyword id="2153501" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="gadhave">Gadhave</keyword> told ET. "Pesticides and insecticides are not helping us. These pests and viruses have turned immune to the medicines we spray on them. Tomato crops are usually attacked by whiteflies, red mites and gram pod borers. One of the reasons for frequent pestilence is the recurring crop pattern adopted by farmers. In places like Narayangaon, farmers have been growing tomatoes for close to three decades now. The pests have got entrenched in the crop cycle,” he added. What seed companies need to do is to find heat-tolerant seeds so that the fewer monsoons in India shouldn’t be a factor. Also India exports tomatoes to Pakistan, Nepal and <keyword id="6354759" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="bangladesh">Bangladesh</keyword>. Traders have to fulfil pre-arranged orders before filling up local mandis; this, too, impacted domestic distribution.

Tomatoes and onions are burning a hole in your pocket. Here’s why

<ul><li>New regulation will allow users to pick preferred channels over bouquets </li><li>Indian broadcasters already facing pressure from Netflix, Amazon and <keyword id="2739840" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hotstar">Hotstar</keyword> in big cities </li><li>Rising competition and new <keyword id="73603" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="pricing">pricing</keyword> may weed out boring channels </li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/heres-why-ott-platforms-were-a-big-hit-among-indians-in-2018/articleshow/67286083.cms">Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hotstar</a> have certainly made a dent on <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>n broadcasters in urban India. But outside the big cities where cable TV is still the preferred option, channels will have to change their game completely as a new pricing model takes effect from February 1. Starting <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/cable-tv-set-to-cost-less-from-feb-pick-amp-pay-for-channels-you-want/trai-fixes-maximum-price-per-channel-at-19/slideshow/67406709.cms">next month</a>, viewers will have the option to choose the individual channels that they would like to subscribe to and pay for those alone. While bouquets will still be available, the new pricing mechanism set out by the regulator makes it cheaper for consumers to make a bunch of their own choice, instead of getting a selection of channels most of which they do not watch. This will put added pressure on broadcasters fighting the onslaught of digital platforms in retaining subscribers. “Good channels which have a strong brand love and strong content, and for which we were getting a good advertiser pull, for those channels now, you will also get a subscriber pull,” said Prathyusha Agarwal, CMO, <keyword id="141413" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Zee-Entertainment-Enterprises">Zee Entertainment Enterprises</keyword> Limited. On the other hand, broadcasters may lose money both on advertising and viewership in non-performing channels that, so far, piggy-backed on successful peers under the same ownership.“Undoubtedly, then the channels that do not deliver on the basic promise of good content will automatically cease to exist,” said Agarwal. Cable TV will continue to have more takers in India as the over-the-top (OTT) platforms are relatively expensive. “Television is one of the essential commodities in the country and consumption in India is actually 3 hours 44 minutes per household per day and when you go to South India, it increases to 4 hours plus. With this kind of consumption, streaming could be expensive and cumbersome,” said Karishma Bhalla, Partner and Director, Boston Consulting Group. Moreover, Netflix and Amazon do not offer the same content as most broadcasters. However, from where they are, the popularity of the digital content providers is only set to rise. The Indian OTT market is set to reach $5 billion by 2023, according to a <a href="https://inc42.com/buzz/entertainment-goes-online-video-over-internet-a-5-bn-market-by-2023-says-bcg-report/">report</a> by Boston Consulting Group. “OTT is spurring additional consumption unlocking new need spaces and not just substituting existing consumption. It will likely increase the per capita media consumption in India,” she said. India will have more internet users than the entire population of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and the United States of America put together by 2020, according to the BCG report. This would also mean rising consumption of videos via <keyword id="10879" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="YouTube">YouTube</keyword>, Facebook and Instagram too could eat into the TV-viewing time. All in all, Indian broadcasters will have to find a way to brace for heightened challenges from different corners. To survive, they will have to offer better content at affordable prices. Easier said than done. See More: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/heres-why-ott-platforms-were-a-big-hit-among-indians-in-2018/articleshow/67286083.cms">Here's why OTT platforms were a big hit among Indians in 2018 </a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/netflixs-first-original-series-from-india-sacred-games-is-an-addictive-crime-thriller-with-a-100-on-rotten-tomatoes/articleshow/64921232.cms">Netflix's first original series from India, 'Sacred Games,' is an addictive crime thriller with a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes </a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/oneplus-set-to-enter-the-indian-smart-tv-market-but-only-with-flagship-models/articleshow/66445268.cms">OnePlus set to enter the Indian smart TV market, but only with flagship models </a>

India’s new cable TV pricing will force broadcasters to put on better shows

In the popular market of calorie-high potato chips, largely dominated by multi-nationals, bringing in a virgin idea of healthy nachos wasn’t easy for <keyword id="103606" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vikram-Agarwal">Vikram Agarwal</keyword>, director of <keyword id="3043645" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="GreenDot-Health-Foods">Greendot Health Foods</keyword> better known as <keyword id="2033379" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="CORNITOS">Cornitos</keyword>. Seven years back, this <keyword id="47896" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Faridabad">Faridabad</keyword> based start up had formulized nachos and tortillas as healthy alternative to potato chips. 
 At the time of launch, a packet of Cornitos was priced at Rs 100, whereas you would get a Lays or Uncle Chips for Rs 10. No doubt, the packaging looked premium. “While launching Cornitos, the focus has been on entering an uncontested space where competitors were yet to step in, reduce our entry costs and getting better value. Even as I decided to give consumers a differentiated and value product, I decided against offering low price – Rs 5 and Rs 10 Products. <keyword id="3955152" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-nachos">International Nachos</keyword> and Tortilla Chips brands in the market are anyway available for a premium, so our products, though available at a price higher than domestic snack food brands, still turns out to be competitive and has been well-accepted by consumers,” <keyword id="781" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Agarwal">Agarwal</keyword> told <keyword id="824043" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Insider">Business Insider</keyword>. 
 
Staying gourmet isn’t on cards 
“After we started we wanted to reach masses with message of Healthy Snacking and not remain limited to Gourmet. We have been selective in our approach in giving our product to the right distributors ensuring that it is put into the right places. Over the years, we have expanded to Tier-I and Tier-II towns. Currently we are available across 300 cities with 30000 plus retailers. Also to create awareness around the product, we undertook a lot of sampling at schools, modern trade stores and general trade ensuring that the product was being tasted by consumers. We also launched more flavours with the aim to cater to the maximum number of people,” said Agarwal, while speaking exclusively to Business Insider. 
 
Cornitos is big on product innovation. Moreover a longer shelf life helps retailers to avoid issues related to expiry of products. 
 
It’s not corn papad Corn Papad was the notion harboured by people when Cornitos initially entered the market. In the <keyword id="6355055" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="USA">USA</keyword> and <keyword id="3746" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mexico">Mexico</keyword>, nachos are an independent genre of snacks altogether. However, establishing these as strong product categories in India had their own share of challenges for Agarwal. 
 
A strong consumer focused approach has helped to create awareness around these products. 
 
 
 
Just too much competition these days? Ever since people started cutting on potato chips, the market leaders of the field have introduced similar corn chips in the market led by Cornitos. First Parle and then <keyword id="54572" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PepsiCo">Pepsico</keyword>’s Doritos are attempting at penetrating the Rs 60 crore market. However with 60% plus share in the sector, Cornitos is a hot favourite. 
 
What actually worked? 
Agarwal claims gluten free, zero cholesterol and zero transfat have evidently contributed to the growth of corn chips. 
“We are taking the product centric approach maintaining the product quality and increased the Marketing spend on electronic media. We have recently given a face to much-loved Nachos category. The mascot is named Mr. Crispy and he elucidates the brand ethos of premium quality and 10 Exotic Flavours. With the unveiling of our maiden mascot Cornitos unfolds an exciting new chapter in its growth trajectory,” explained he. 
 
Foreign invasion 
Cornitos has entered the markets of the USA and China as well. And the response has been quite overwhelming, claimed Agarwal. 
 The spicy chilli flavour, <keyword id="222689" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Peri-Peri">Peri Peri</keyword>, has become an international rage and with this newest offering Cornitos is keen to lure snack lovers into a journey of global taste. From Hot Sizzlin Jalapeno to Sweet Thai Chilli there are 10 exotic flavours that open world market for Cornitos. International flavours like Sizzlin Jalapeno, Thai Sweet Chilli, Peri Peri, Tomato Mexicana and Wasabi are in good demand for exports.

This Indian
start up of gourmet nachos is changing the way we eat snacks

<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image">Aniruddh Chaturvedi</div></div> 
Aniruddh Chaturvedi came from Mumbai to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Penn., where he is majoring in computer science. This past summer he interned at a tech company in <keyword id="6357722" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="silicon-valley">Silicon Valley</keyword>.
During two years in the U.S., Chaturvedi has been surprised by various aspects of society, as he explained last year in a <a href="https://www.quora.com/How-Americans-Are-Different/What-facts-about-the-United-States-do-foreigners-not-believe-until-they-come-to-America/answer/Aniruddh-Chaturvedi">post on Quora</a>.
Chaturvedi offered his latest thoughts on <keyword id="20819" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="America">America</keyword> in an email to Business Insider.
The most surprising things about America: 
<ul>
<li>Nobody talks about grades here. </li>
<li>Everyone is highly private about their accomplishments and failures. Someone's performance in any field is their performance alone. This is different compared to <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> where people flaunt their riches and share their accomplishments with everybody else.</li>
<li>The retail experience is nowhere near as fun/nice as it is in India. Because labor is cheap in India, there is always someone who will act as a "personal shopper" to assist you with holding your clothes, giving suggestions, etc. In America, on the other hand, even if you go to a Nordstrom or Bloomingdales, there is almost nobody to help you out while you're shopping. Shopping in America is more of a commodity / chore than it is a pleasurable activity </li>
<li>This may be biased/wrong because I was an intern, but at least in the tech world, nobody wants to put you under the bus for something that you didn't do correctly or didn't understand how to do. People will sit with you patiently till you get it. If you aren't able to finish something within the stipulated deadline, a person on your team would graciously offer to take it off your plate.</li>
<li>The same applies to school. Before I came to the United States, I heard stories about how students at Johns Hopkins were so competitive with each other that they used to tear important pages from books in the library just so other students didn't have access to it. In reality, I experienced the complete opposite. Students were highly collaborative, formed study groups, and studied / did assignments till everyone in the group "got it". I think the reason for this is that the classes are / material is so hard that it makes sense to work collaboratively to the point that students learn from each other. </li>
<li>Strong ethics - everyone has a lot of integrity. If someone cannot submit their completed assignment in time, they will turn in the assignment incomplete rather than asking for answers at the last minute. People take pride in their hard work and usually do not cheat. This is different from students from India and China as well as back home in India, where everyone collaborates to the extent that it can be categorized as cheating.</li>
<li>Rich people are thin/ well maintained, poor people are fat. This stems from the fact that cheap food is fatty, rich people don't eat cheap food - they tend to eat either home-cooked food which is expensive or eat at expensive / healthy places. Unfortunately, it is expensive to be healthy in America.</li>
<li>Fat people are not respected much in society. Being fat often has the same connotations as being irresponsible towards your body. If you're thin (and tall, but not as much), people will respect you a lot more and treat you better. You will also receive better customer service if you're well maintained. This extends my previous point which mentioned that if you're thin, you're statistically likely to be rich. Reason why I know this is that I went down from being 210lbs to 148-150lbs. The way people started treating me when I was thin was generally way better than the way I was treated when I was fat. As a small example, the Starbucks baristas were much nicer to me and made me drinks with more care / love. </li>
<li>Girls are not very promiscuous, contrary to most Hollywood films</li>
<li>Almost every single person in America has access to basic food, clothing, water and sanitation. I haven't been to states like Louisiana and cities like Detroit, but from what I can tell, nobody is scrambling for the basic necessities required for sustenance. </li>
<li>Dearth of African Americans in technical fields. This probably stems from the fact that they aren't given enough opportunity, broken families, etc. I'm pretty sure you can extend upon this if you'd like.</li>
<li>It's expensive to have brick houses in America, contrary to India where brick houses are the norm</li>
<li>Emphasis on physical fitness / being outdoorsy - this is more of a California thing but I noticed families going on biking trips, boat trips, hiking, camping, barbecuing, etc. Americans take pride in the natural beauty of their surroundings and tend to make the most of it</li>
<li>Americans waste a lot of food. It is very easy to buy in bulk because it's so much cheaper and as a result a lot of wastage occurs. </li>
<li>Obsession with coffee - Starbucks, Dunkin' etc is crowded with office-goers and students every morning. I don't understand why they can't drink or make coffee before leaving for work. Such a waste of money! ($5/day * 5days / week * 52weeks/year)!</li>
<li>Split families, not having married parents, etc is not seen differently than the contrary. </li>
<li>Support towards the LGBT community - it's fairly normal to be part of the LGBT community; it's not considered a mortal sin if you like someone in your own gender or if you aren't comfortable being male/female/etc. Proof of this is the LGBT Pride Day held in every city etc. </li>
<li>Smoking weed is seen the same as smoking cigarettes. </li>
</ul>
And here are some more things he found surprising about America, <a href="https://www.quora.com/How-Americans-Are-Different/What-facts-about-the-United-States-do-foreigners-not-believe-until-they-come-to-America/answer/Aniruddh-Chaturvedi">excerpted from his post last summer on Quora</a> :
The way that stores price their products makes no apparent economic sense, and is not linear at all.
For example, at a typical store: - 1 can of coke : $1.00 - 12 cans of coke : $3.00 - 1 Häagen-Dazs ice cream bar : $3.00 - 12 Häagen-Dazs ice cream bars : $7.00
The return policy on almost everything: None of my friends back in India believed me when I told them that you can literally buy anything, including food, and return it within ninety days for a full refund even if you don't have a specific reason for doing so (most stores actually have a "Buyer's Remorse" category under Reason for Return options while returning the product).
The pervasiveness of fast food and the sheer variety of products available: The typical supermarket has at least a hundred varieties of frozen pizza, 50 brands of trail mix, etc. I was just astounded by the different kinds of products available even at small gas station convenience stores. 
Soda being cheaper than bottled water: It makes no sense that carbonated and flavored water with HFCS are cheaper than regular water, but hey, that's just how it is.
The fact that there are full service rest stops with decent chain restaurants and big supermarkets every couple of miles on interstate highways 
Fruit and vegetable prices, as compared to fast food prices:
- Bag of grapes : $6.00 - Box of strawberries : $5.00 - 1 lb tomatoes : $3.00 - McChicken : $1.00 - [McDouble] : $1.00
Unlimited soda refills:
The first time (and one of the last times...) I visited McDonalds in 2007, the cashier gave me an empty cup when I ordered soda. The concept of virtually unlimited soda refills was alien to me, and I thought there was a catch to it, but apparently not. Slightly digressing, I've noticed that the typical fountain machine has a huge selection, including Pepsi, Pepsi Max, Sprite, Sprite Zero, Hi-C, Powerade, Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade (and/or their coca-cola counterparts)... The list goes on. This may not seem like much, but it is actually a lot more compared to the 3-4 options (coca-cola, sprite, fanta, limca) that most Indian soda fountain machines have. 
Serving Sizes: American serving sizes are HUGE! I've noticed that entree sizes are huge as well. I am by no means a small eater, but it usually takes me at least 1.5 meals to finish the entree. 
US Flag displayed everywhere: I was surprised to see that the US flag is displayed in schools, on rooftops of houses, etc. India has very strict rules governing the display and use of the national flag. Also, something that struck out to me was how it was completely normal to wear the US flag or a US flag-like pattern as a bikini. 
Over-commercialization of festivals: I'm not denying that festivals like Diwali and Eid aren't extremely commercialized in India, but America takes it to a whole new level. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, etc., and an almost year-round sale of Christmas, Halloween, Easter, etc. items.
An almost-classless society: I've noticed that most Americans roughly have the same standard of living. Everybody has access to ample food, everybody shops at the same supermarkets, malls, stores, etc. I've seen plumbers, construction workers and janitors driving their own sedans, which was quite difficult for me to digest at first since I came from a country where construction workers and plumbers lived hand to mouth. 
Also, (almost) all sections of society are roughly equal. You'll see service professionals owning iPhones, etc. as well. This may be wrong but part of it has to do with the fact that obtaining credit in this country is extremely easy. Anybody can buy anything, for the most part, except for something like a Maserati, obviously. As a result, most monetary possessions aren't really status symbols. I believe that the only status symbol in America is your job, and possibly your educational qualifications.
Chaturvedi ended his post with a link to a video of "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhnUgAaea4M#action=share">America F--- Yeah</a>" from the movie "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Team-America-Unrated-Widescreen-Collectors/dp/B0007Y08IS">Team America</a>."

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