 "Softening of tomato prices brings down cost of veg, non-veg thalis in Sept")
The cost of a vegetarian thali in India declined 17 per cent in September compared to August, primarily due to a decrease in tomato prices, according to a "Roti Rice Rate" report released by Crisil on Thursday. When compared to September 2022, the cost of a veg thali was 1 per cent lower.
In August, the price of a veg thali had surged by an astounding 24 per cent compared to August 2022, largely because of a 176 per cent increase in tomato prices. Tomato prices dropped 62 per cent to Rs 39 per kilogram in September, compared to Rs 102 per kilogram in August. A vegetarian thali typically includes roti, vegetables (onion, tomato, and potato), rice, dal, curd, and salad.
Crisil calculates the average cost of preparing a thali at home based on input prices from northern, southern, eastern, and western India. The monthly variation in cost offers an insight into the impact on the average consumer's expenditure.
The decrease in the cost of a veg thali was also influenced by a reduction in the prices of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, which cost Rs 903 in September, more than Rs 200 less than the Rs 1,103 price in August.
Another factor contributing to the decline was a 31 per cent month-on-month cooling of chilli prices in September. However, onion prices increased 12 per cent month-on-month, mitigating further reductions in the cost of a veg thali. According to the agency, onion prices are expected to remain high in the coming months due to lower expected output in the kharif season.
The cost of a non-vegetarian thali, which substitutes dal with chicken, decreased 9 per cent month-on-month in September, also impacted by tomato prices. However, a 2 to 3 per cent increase in the prices of broilers offset further reductions in the cost of a non-vegetarian thali. Chicken accounts for over 50 per cent of the total cost of a non-vegetarian thali.