How India Eats: Cheap tomato helps cut thali prices in March
Rise in prices of other food items like potato, onion, vegetable and broiler chicken prevented a further decline in the overall cost of both the thalis
The lower cost of tomato reduced prices of both the vegetarian and non-vegetarian thali in March. Tomato prices declined 34 percent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 21 per kilogram in March from Rs 32 per kg. The arrival of tomato crop across the country increased 29 percent, particularly in the southern states, which had a robust rabi crop due to higher acreage and better yield amid healthy reservoir levels.
However, a rise in the prices of other food items like potato, onion, vegetable and broiler chicken (in case of non-vegetarian thali) prevented a further decline in the overall cost of both the thalis, shows Crisil analysis.
Also read: How India Eats: 15 percent rise in chicken prices drives non-veg thali cost higher again in Feb
In March, prices of potato, onion and vegetable oil rose 2 percent, 6 percent and 19 percent YoY respectively. On a monthly basis, however, there was a drop of 5 percent, 7 percent and 8 percent in the prices of onion, potato and tomato respectively, amid fresh arrival of harvest.
