Fast food chain McDonald's today disputed the remark of Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj in Parliament that it does not buy local produce, saying all the ingredients used in its products in India are sourced from within the country.
"Before setting up its business in India, McDonald's had made a commitment to government on local sourcing of its entire raw material requirement.
"We confidently and proudly state that ingredients used in our products are sourced locally that includes the French Fries," McDonald's India (North and East) Managing Director Vikram Bakshi said in a statement.
He was reacting to Swaraj's remark in Parliament during the debate on FDI in retail today that even McDonald's was importing potatoes from abroad and not buying the produce locally.
"We import only on rare occasions when local supplies run out," Bakshi said, adding that "McDonald's remains steadfast to its commitment of working with local suppliers and farmers to source all its requirements in India".
The company, along with its supplier McCain, has worked closely with farmers in India to produce process-grade potato varieties, he claimed.
"We continue to contribute in the growth of these farmers," Bakshi said, adding that when McDonald's began developing its business in India, potatoes with the right quality for 'French Fries' were not available.
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