In some relief for the common man, the cost of a home-cooked vegetarian thali declined year-on-year in February, according to CRISIL’s latest monthly indicator of food plate cost, RRR (Roti Rice Rate). The cost of a non-vegetarian thali, however grew approximately 6% due to rise in broiler (chicken) prices, the report said. On a month-on-month basis the cost of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis came down.
The calculation of an average thali’s preparation cost at home by CRISIL considers input prices across different regions of India. Monthly variations indicate the impact on everyday household expenses. The analysis tracks price movements of essential ingredients including cereals, pulses, broilers, vegetables, spices, edible oil and cooking gas.
- In February, the vegetarian thali saw a reduction in cost compared to the previous year, whilst the non-vegetarian thali showed an increase due to higher broiler prices.
- The vegetarian thali saw a 1% reduction year-on-year in February, whereas the non-vegetarian thali registered an increase of approximately 6%:
- The reduction in
vegetarian thali cost was attributed to decreased prices of tomato and LPG cylinder - Tomato prices reduced to Rs 23/kg from Rs 32/kg, showing a 28% decrease year-on-year, due to 20% increased supply
- LPG costs decreased by 11% year-on-year (to Rs 803 per 14.2 kg cylinder in Delhi from Rs 903) providing additional savings
- The decline would have been more substantial if not for the increased prices of onion (11%), potato (16%) and vegetable oil (18%) year-on-year, says CRISIL.
Cost of preparing a thali at home (Source: CRISIL)
The rise in non-vegetarian thali prices was primarily due to a 15% year-on-year increase in broiler (chicken) prices. Broiler (chicken), which constitutes approximately 50% of a non-vegetarian thali’s cost, saw this increase due to previous year’s low baseline when prices had fallen because of oversupply.
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Additionally, higher feed expenses, resulting from a 6% year-on-year increase in maize prices, contributed to the overall cost surge.
During the month, both vegetarian and nonvegetarian thali costs decreased by 5% compared to the previous month. This reduction was attributed to fresh supplies causing price drops in onion (7%), potato (17%), and tomato (25%). Additionally, broiler (chicken) prices fell by an estimated 5% month-on-month due to reduced demand following bird flu concerns in southern India.
