Veg Thali Becomes Costlier by 5%, Non-Veg Thali Becomes 13% Cheaper in January Y-O-Y: CRISIL

The cost of veg thali has increased in January due to a rise in prices of onion and tomatoes, while the cost of non-veg thali has witnessed a decline due to a drop in poultry prices. Writes Sutanuka Ghosal.

New Delhi:The month of January has pinched the pockets of the vegetarians more than the non-vegetarians in the country compared to the same month of 2023. The cost of the home-cooked veg thali rose 5 per cent in January, while that of the non-veg thali declined 13%, as per CRISIL MI&A Research estimates of monthly food plate cost.

The cost of the veg thali increased due to a surge of 35% and 20% on-year in prices of onion and tomato, respectively. Prices of rice (accounting for 12% of the veg thali cost) and pulses (9%) also increased 14% and 21% on-year, respectively.

Incidentally, the government only a few days back had asked the dealers, distributors, retailers and other stakeholders of the rice trade to disclose the stock of rice/paddy on a weekly basis so that they can put a lid on rising price of the grain that is consumed in most Indian households.

The average cost of preparing a thali at home is calculated based on input prices prevailing in north, south, east and west India. 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.

The decrease in the cost of the non-veg thali was due to a decline of 26% on-year in broiler prices amid higher production.

However, on-month basis, the cost of the veg and non-veg thalis fell 6% and 8%, respectively: The easing was due to a decrease of 26% and 16% on-month in prices of onion and tomato, respectively, with higher domestic supply of onion amid export curbs and fresh tomato arrivals from the northern and eastern states.

The cost of the non-veg thali declined faster due to a decline of 8-10% on-month in prices of broilers, which account for 50% of the cost.

A veg thali comprises roti, vegetables (onion, tomato and potato), rice, dal, curd and salad. A non-veg thali has the same elements as the veg thali, except for dal, which is replaced by chicken (broiler); broiler prices for January are estimated; weightage of ingredients does not vary based on volatility in commodity prices

Onion prices have crashed as almost all the onion growing states have reported bumper production of kharif and late kharif crops at a time when the government has banned export of the kitchen essential.

In the two months since the government imposed the ban on onion exports on December 7, wholesale prices crashed by more than 80 per cent.

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