Veg Thali Costs Drop Slightly in November
The cost of a home-cooked vegetarian thali fell by 2% in November compared to the previous month, while the cost of a non-vegetarian thali remained unchanged. This drop was mainly due to a 17% decrease in tomato prices, as reported on Thursday.
Tomato Prices Influence Thali Costs
Tomato prices fell in October due to fresh supplies from states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. However, the decline slowed in November due to lower arrivals, according to a report by CRISIL Market Intelligence and Analytics.
Other Vegetables See Price Increases
The decrease in thali costs was limited by rising prices of key ingredients. Vegetable oil prices increased by 4%, while onions and potatoes saw price hikes of 4% and 1% respectively.
Reduced Supply of Onions and Potatoes
Pushan Sharma, Director-Research at CRISIL Market Intelligence and Analytics, explained that potato and onion prices rose due to reduced supplies. Potato arrivals dropped by 27%, and onion arrivals fell by 28% in November. This prevented a larger decrease in the cost of the vegetarian thali.
Future Price Stability Expected
Sharma also noted that prices of vegetables and pulses are expected to stabilize from December as fresh supplies enter the market. This would bring some relief to the cost of vegetarian thalis.
Year-on-Year Changes in Thali Costs
Compared to November last year, the cost of a vegetarian thali increased by 7%, while the cost of a non-vegetarian thali rose by 2%. Elevated prices of tomatoes and potatoes contributed to the rise.
Lower LPG Costs Provide Relief
A drop in LPG prices helped control the cost of thalis. The price of a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder in Delhi decreased by 11%, from ₹903 last year to ₹803 currently.
Broiler Prices Keep Non-Veg Thali Costs Stable
For non-vegetarian thalis, a 2% increase in broiler prices in November kept the cost stable. However, a 3% year-on-year drop in broiler prices, which make up 50% of the non-veg thali cost, also helped prevent significant price hikes.
Outlook for Non-Veg Thali Costs
Sharma highlighted that non-vegetarian thali costs may see year-on-year growth in the coming months due to a low base created from December 2023.
