Ghar Kharcha: Another Reason To Eat Your Veggies—They Cost Lesser

While it might be too hot to visit the sabzi mandi to stock up on groceries, it's not entirely a bad idea. The reason: cheaper food prices, especially vegetables.

India's retail inflation is currently the lowest it has been since Covid. CPI inflation moderated to 3.34% in March, from 3.61% in February. Food and beverage inflation eased to 2.88% from 3.84% in February. The decline was led by vegetable inflation, which contracted by 7.04% after contracting by 1.07% in February. On a monthly basis, vegetable inflation eased by 5.7% from February.

In key vegetables, potatoes, onions and tomatoes saw a fall in prices from a month ago. The month was also an opportunity to load on protein, with eggs seeing a sharp fall in prices, along with a fall in prices of dals.

However, prices of cooking oils continued to rise, costing almost a fifth more than prices an year ago.

Going ahead, food inflation pressures are likely to continue to remain benign, aided by expectations of an above normal south-west monsoon.