According to a recent report by Crisil Market Intelligence and Analytics, the per plate cost of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian thali in India, which had been consistently declining since October 2022, experienced an upward trend in May and June 2023.
According to Crisil’s monthly indicator of food plate cost, the prices of tomatoes, pulses, and staple grains have surged, putting additional pressure on the overall cost of food plates.
The cost of a vegetarian thali per plate, as per Crisil estimates, increased from INR 25.1 in April to INR 26.3 in June. Similarly, for non-vegetarian thali, it is estimated to have increased from INR 58.3 to INR 60.
The calculation of the average cost of a thali took into account the input prices prevalent in various regions of India, including the north, south, east, and west.
Tomatoes, for over a month now, have been burning a hole in the common people’s pockets as their prices have skyrocketed. They are being sold at over INR 100 per kg in several key cities.
According to the database maintained by the Price Monitoring Division under the Department of Consumer Affairs, per kilo tomato on average rose by INR 60-100 of what they were in retail markets in early June. Data showed prices of tomatoes in Delhi rose from INR 20 per kg in early June to INR 110 this week. Similarly, in Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata, three key consuming regions, they rose to INR 117, INR 100, and INR 148.
In the pulses basket, the Crisil report said tur and gram prices have increased 3 per cent month-on-month in June, contributing to the sequential increase in per-thali costing.
Wheat flour prices spurted 9 per cent year-on-year in June, Crisil said.
The cost of both veg and non-veg thalis, however, declined 5 per cent year-on-year in June 2023 due to steep a decline in prices of vegetables and cooking oil — which account for 25 per cent of the total cost of a veg thali — but an increase in prices of cereals, pulses and chicken capped the reduction.
“The decline in thali cost was supported by an on-year decline of 15 per cent in onion and potato prices and 20 per cent in cooking oil prices in June,” Crisil said.
Prices of rice and pulses inched up 12 per cent and 8 per cent on-year, respectively, in June, preventing further decline in the cost of a veg thali.
