Prices of home-cooked meals continued their upward trend for the second consecutive month in May, propelled by the costs of potatoes, onions, and tomatoes, according to a report by Crisil. Vegetarian thali prices rose 8% from a year earlier to INR 27.80 in May. Sequentially, the increase was 1%.
The inflation rate for vegetarian thalis stood at 7.9% in April.
Crisil stated that reduced onion arrivals due to a notable decrease in rabi acreage, along with a decline in potato arrivals caused by late blight and crop damage in West Bengal, were factors contributing to the price hike.
Upward Trend in Other Essential Ingredients
In May, onion prices surged by 43% compared to last year, while potatoes saw a 41% increase and tomatoes became 39% costlier. Additionally, other essentials such as vegetables, rice, and pulses showed an upward trend. Rice, constituting 13% of the thali’s weight, experienced a 13% price hike, while pulses rose by 21%. The inflation was also influenced by spices. However, the prices of cumin, chilli, and vegetable oil dropped by 37%, 25%, and 8% respectively, mitigating a further rise in the cost of the vegetable thali, according to Crisil.
Meanwhile, the price of the non-vegetarian thali dropped by 7% compared to last year, attributed to a 16% decrease in broiler prices from the previous year. Retail food inflation rose to 8.7% in April, up from 8.5% in the previous month.
Continue Exploring: Tomato, Onion, and Potato keep thali prices up in April: Crisil Report
