3 days ago

India veg thali cost rises 1 per cent on-year, non-veg thali up 5 per cent

Home-cooked vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis saw their average preparation costs rise 1 per cent and 5 per cent on-year, respectively, in August due to higher prices of onion, vegetable oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), with non-veg thalis impacted by higher broiler prices.

Vegetarian thali costs increased 1 per cent on-year due to higher prices of onion, vegetable oil and LPG, while non-vegetarian thali costs jumped 5 per cent due to the additional impact of broiler prices, Crisil Intelligence said in a report.

Elevated prices of onion, vegetable oil, rice and LPG kept the thali cost high despite a decline in potato and tomato prices.

The average cost of preparing a thali at home is calculated based on input prices prevailing in north, south, east and west India. The monthly change reflects the impact on the common man’s expenditure. The data also reveals the ingredients (cereals, pulses, broilers, vegetables, spices, edible oil and cooking gas) driving the change in the cost of the thali.

Onion prices rose about 43 per cent on-year to ₹40 per kg in August 2026 from ₹28 per kg in August 2025, driven by supply tightness. Unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms in Maharashtra during March-April reportedly damaged the late-season crop and stored inventories, while a 5-6 per cent decline in rabi production further constrained availability.

Vegetable oil and LPG cylinder prices rose 11 per cent and 10 per cent on-year, respectively, due to supply disruptions and elevated energy prices caused by the conflict in West Asia.

Higher broiler prices

Non-veg thali cost rose due to an estimated 10 per cent on-year increase in broiler prices, which accounted for about 50 per cent of the cost, driven by higher feed prices.

However, the increase in thali costs was partly offset by lower potato and tomato prices, which declined 12 per cent and 28 per cent on-year, respectively.

Potato prices softened due to an estimated 2-3 per cent increase in rabi production, supported by acreage expansion.

Tomato prices were lower on-year as a one-month delay in summer planting shifted supplies from May-June to July-August. As a result, market arrivals were about 20 per cent higher on-year in July-August, exerting downward pressure on prices.

On-month, the cost of a veg thali rose 1 per cent, while that of a non-veg thali declined 1 per cent in August.

Onion prices rose 17 per cent on-month, pushing up thali costs. However, a 7 per cent decline in tomato prices and relatively stable prices of other commodities prevented a further uptick.

The cost of a non-veg thali declined due to an estimated 4 per cent on-month decline in broiler prices amid moderation in demand due to Shravan month.

A vegetarian thali includes roti, vegetables (onion, tomato, potato), rice, dal (pulses), curd and salad. A non-vegetarian thali replaces dal with chicken (broiler); broiler prices are estimated figures; and the weightage of ingredients does not vary based on volatility in commodity prices. Commodity prices are estimations due to constraints in data availability.