How India eats: Cost of a thali jumps in May, after steady decline since October

The cost of veg and non-veg thalis declined 9 percent and 4 percent year-on-year, respectively, in May.

After a steady decline since last October, the cost of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis increased in May, shows a Crisil analysis. As the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) continues its strategy to combat inflation, Forbes India takes a look at how the average price of a food plate in India changes every month, indicating the impact on the common man’s expenditure. We will analyse the Indian thali in a monthly series ‘How India Eats’.

In May, the average cost of a vegetarian thali was Rs 25.1, while the cost of a non-veg thali was Rs 60.6, increasing from Rs 25 and Rs 58.3 respectively from April. However, it shows a fall in prices compared to May 2022, when a veg thali cost Rs 27.6 and a non-veg thali cost Rs 63, based on analysis by Crisil. The average cost of a thali is calculated based on input prices prevailing in north, south, east, and west India. The data also reveals the ingredients (cereals, pulses, broiler poultry, vegetables, spices, edible oil, cooking gas) driving changes in the cost of a thali.

The cost of veg and non-veg thalis declined 9 percent and 4 percent year-on-year, respectively, in May due to a steep decline in the prices of vegetables and cooking oil, which account for 25 percent of the total cost of a veg thali. However, an increase in the prices of cereals, pulses, chicken, and eggs capped the reduction.

Also read: Why are Indians ordering less pizzas, burgers and fried chicken

The decline in the thali’s cost was aided by an annual decline of 35 percent in vegetable prices and 19 percent in cooking oil prices in May. High prices of wheat, which increased 8 percent year-on-year in May, has limited the decline in the thali’s cost.

Prices of rice and pulses inched up 10 percent and 4 percent year-on-year, respectively, in May, preventing a further decline in the cost of a veg thali. However, broiler poultry prices are estimated to have risen by up to 2 percent year-on-year, limiting the decline in a non-veg thali’s cost to a slower 4 percent in the month. However, month-on-month, chicken prices are estimated to have risen 5-7 percent, thereby increasing a non-veg thali’s cost by 4 percent.