Home-cooked veg thali cost went up by 11%, non-veg thali down by 2%
In September 2024, the cost of home-cooked vegetarian thali rose in double digits while that of the non-veg variant (which costs twice as much as the veg) declined on-year, as per CRISIL Market Intelligence & Analytics (MI&A) Research estimates.
According to the report, last month the cost of home-cooked vegetarian food went up by 11%, while that of the non-vegetarian thali declined by 2% as compared to the same period previous year.
The average cost of preparing a thali at home is calculated based on input prices prevailing in north, south, east, and west India.
A veg thali comprises roti, vegetables (onion, tomato, and potato), rice, dal, curd, and salad. A non-veg thali has the same elements except for dal, which is replaced by chicken (broiler); broiler prices for September are estimated figures; weightage of ingredients does not vary based on volatility in commodity prices, the report notes.
The monthly change reflects the impact on the common man’s expenditure. The data also reveals the ingredients (cereals, pulses, broilers, vegetables, spices, edible oil, and cooking gas) driving the change in the cost of the thali.
According to the report, the cost of veg thali last month was estimated at Rs.31.30 while that of the non-veg thali was Rs.59.30
Veggies on fire
The veg thali cost rose due to an increase in the prices of vegetables, which collectively account for about 37% of the thali cost.
The prices of onion, potato and tomato rose 53%, 50% and 18% on-year, respectively, in September because of lower onion and potato arrivals, while heavy rainfall impacted tomato output in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Similarly, the prices of pulses, which account for 9% of the veg thali cost, rose 14% amid drop in production last year, leading to lower opening stock this year, further contributing to the uptick, the report notes.
On the other hand, the cushioning factor was the 11% drop in fuel cost – from Rs 903 for a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder in Delhi in September last year to Rs 803 in March this year – prevented further increase in the thali cost.
In the case of non-vegetarian thali, the 13% decline in broiler prices – accounting for 50% of the thali cost- provided some relief.
On-month, the cost of both veg and non-veg thalis remained stable.
The onion prices rose 14% on-month because of tight rabi stock in the market as well as reduction of export duty, fueling trade.
A 2% decline in potato prices due to stocks released from the cold storage and 9% fall in tomato prices due to higher arrivals from the southern and western markets prevented further increase in the thali cost.
For the non-veg thali, stable broiler prices on-month amid steady demand helped maintain the cost, the CRISIL MI&A report said.
