Thali Wars: Veg costs dip 1 pc, non-veg soars 6 pc on broiler surge

In February, Indian households experienced a mixed bag. The cost of preparing a home-cooked vegetarian thali saw a marginal decline of 1 per cent on a year-on-year basis, while the cost of a non-vegetarian thali registered a significant increase of approximately 6 per cent.

The findings are part of Crisil’s monthly indicator of food plate cost, which tracks the average expenditure on thalis based on input prices prevailing across north, south, east, and west India.

The decline in the vegetarian thali cost comes as a relief for many, driven primarily by a sharp fall in tomato and cooking gas prices. Tomato prices dropped 28 per cent on-year to Rs 23 per kg in February from Rs 32 per kg a year ago, due to a 20 per cent rise in fresh arrivals.

Additionally, a significant 11 per cent reduction in LPG cylinder prices—down to Rs 803 per 14.2 kg in Delhi from Rs 903 a year ago—further contributed to lowering the cost.

However, this relief was offset to some extent by a rise in other key ingredients. Onion prices rose 11 per cent on-year, while potato prices increased 16 per cent.

The cost of vegetable oil saw an even steeper hike of 18 per cent, which curtailed the overall drop in the vegetarian thali cost. As a result, while the decline is welcome, it remains limited by inflationary pressures on other components.

The cost of a non-vegetarian thali, on the other hand, soared by around 6 per cent on a yearly basis. The primary driver of this increase was a steep 15 per cent rise in broiler chicken prices, which constitute around 50 per cent of the total cost of a non-vegetarian thali.

Interestingly, on a month-on-month basis, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian thali costs fell by 5 per cent during February. The reduction is attributed to falling prices of essential vegetables like onions, potatoes, and tomatoes, which declined by 7 per cent, 17 per cent, and 25 per cent respectively due to fresh arrivals.

Even the broiler price recorded a 5 per cent month-on-month drop amid reduced demand, particularly following a bird flu scare in southern India.

These fluctuations highlight the complexities of food pricing in India, where seasonal changes, supply chain dynamics, and input costs significantly impact household budgets.

The contrasting trends between vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis underline the need for consumers to remain vigilant about market shifts while planning their monthly food expenditure.