Veg, Non-Veg Thali Rates Climb In November On Elevated Tomato And Potato Prices: Crisil
The estimated cost of veg thali rose 7% YoY to Rs 32.7, whereas the non-veg thali rate climbed modestly by 2% YoY to Rs 61.5, the report said.
The cost of home-cooked vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis climbed year-on-year in November, due to the elevated tomato and potato prices, according to the monthly report released by Crisil on Thursday.
The estimated cost of veg thali rose 7% YoY to Rs 32.7, whereas the non-veg thali rate climbed modestly by 2% YoY to Rs 61.5, the report said.
A veg thali comprises roti, vegetables—onion, tomato and potato—along with rice, dal, curd and salad. A non-veg thali has the same elements except for dal, which is replaced by broiler chicken.
The rise in non-veg thali cost was curbed due to the decline in broiler chicken rates, which dwindled by 3% as compared to November 2023, as per Crisil. Chicken comprises nearly 50% of the thali cost.
The veg thali cost rose at a sharper rate as tomato and potato account a larger share in it. The two vegetables contribute to around 26% of the thali cost, the report showed.
"Price of tomato increased 35% on-year to Rs 53 per kg from Rs 40 per kg in November 2023. Price of potato increased 50% on-year on a low base to Rs 37 per kg from Rs 25 per kg in November 2023," the report said.
The veg thali cost was also driven by the price of pulses, which rose 10% YoY due to "lower opening and pipeline stocks", it added. Adding to the cost, vegetable oil prices rose 13% YoY due to import duty hike, coupled with the festive and wedding season demand, the report noted.
A further uptick in veg and non-veg thali costs was prevented by an 11% drop in fuel cost – from Rs 903 last year for a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder in Delhi to Rs 803 currently, Crisil pointed out.
The average cost of preparing a thali at home is calculated based on input prices prevailing in north, south, east and west India, Crisil said. The monthly change reflects the impact on the common man’s expenditure. (Photo source: Crisil)
Even as the thali costs rose year-on-year, they did not climb sequentially. On-month, the cost of veg thali dropped 2% in November, while that of non-veg thali remained flat, the report showed. In October, the estimated cost of veg thali was Rs 33.3, whereas, the same for non-veg thali was Rs 61.6.
Tomato prices declined 17% on-month with fresh supplies from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat in October, but lower arrivals in November capped further decline, it said. "Rise in prices of vegetable oil, onion and potato by 4%, 4% and 1% on-month, respectively, arrested further decline in thali cost."
For the non-veg thali, an estimated 2% rise in broiler prices led to stable thali cost, Crisil noted.
