By Jharna Thakkar & Urvashi Seth, Mumbai Mirror | Feb 22, 2014, 12.28 AM IST
New Indian labeling requirements for imported foods and ingredients have led to a severe shortage of such items in Mumbai and across the country, hitting kitchens of top restaurants.
Huge consignments of imported meats, cheeses, sauces, edible oil and even mayonnaise, among other popular items, are held up at airports and ports over what authorities describe as insufficient information on the packages' labels.
The dwindling supply has left chefs wondering how to serve Greek salad without feta cheese, Miso soup minus silken tofu or Thai curry without fish sauce.
It's also eating into restaurants' profits: prices of foreign foods - labelled in Spanish, Japanese and Italian - have now doubled in Mumbai's markets, but most eateries are unable to hike rates on their menus after having already done so recently. If the supply doesn't improve, they may be forced to pass on the costs to the patrons.
It's not just eateries. Foodies, too, are struggling to get their favourite Italian Parma ham or Thailand's Sriracha sauce from local vendors and at big stores.
"We are facing import challenges along with the industry to source international range of products," read a sign stuck in the food section of HyperCITY, Vashi.
source
New Indian labeling requirements for imported foods and ingredients have led to a severe shortage of such items in Mumbai and across the country, hitting kitchens of top restaurants. Huge consignments of imported meats, cheeses, sauces, edible oil and even mayonnaise, among other popular items, are held up at airports and ports over what authorities describe as insufficient information on the packages' labels.
The dwindling supply has left chefs wondering how to serve Greek salad without feta cheese, Miso soup minus silken tofu or Thai curry without fish sauce.
It's also eating into restaurants' profits: prices of foreign foods - labelled in Spanish, Japanese and Italian - have now doubled in Mumbai's markets, but most eateries are unable to hike rates on their menus after having already done so recently. If the supply doesn't improve, they may be forced to pass on the costs to the patrons.
It's not just eateries. Foodies, too, are struggling to get their favourite Italian Parma ham or Thailand's Sriracha sauce from local vendors and at big stores.
"We are facing import challenges along with the industry to source international range of products," read a sign stuck in the food section of HyperCITY, Vashi.
source
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