As vegetable prices continued to decline in May, the average cost of preparing a thali (vegetarian and non-vegetarian) at home got cheaper, shows an analysis by Crisil.
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Tomato prices fell 29 percent year-on-year (y-o-y) to Rs 23 per kg in May from Rs 33, due to a high base effect amid yield concerns last year. Similarly, prices of onion and potato declined by 15 and 16 percent respectively y-o-y over a high base. Last year, the potato crop was damaged by blight infestations and unseasonal rainfall in West Bengal, while there was a decline in Rabi onion acreages and yield due to low water availability in the key growing states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.
Potato and tomato prices rose 3 percent and 10 percent month-on-month (m-o-m), respectively, while onion prices fell 10 percent, thus keeping the veg thali cost stable on a monthly basis, says Crisil. However, rising costs of vegetable oil (up 19 percent y-o-y) and LPG cylinder (up 6 percent y-o-y) prevented a further fall in thali prices.
For the non-vegetarian thali, an estimated 6 percent y-o-y and 4 percent m-o-m decline in prices of broiler chicken helped cut overall cost. Chicken prices fell due to oversupply and lower demand amid bird flu cases in some parts of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka.
The average cost of a thali is calculated based on input prices in north, south, east and west India. The data reveals the ingredients (cereals, pulses, broiler poultry, vegetables, spices, edible oil, cooking gas) driving changes in the cost of a thali.
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(Forbes India"s monthly series "How India Eats" 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)
