In December, the cost of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals decreased by 3% and 5%, respectively, attributed to a drop in onion and tomato prices, as reported by Crisil Market Intelligence and Analytics (MI&A) Research.
The decline in thali prices was driven by a 14% reduction in onion prices and a 3% drop in tomato prices, marking the conclusion of the festive season, the report highlighted. Specifically, the cost of non-vegetarian meals saw a faster decline due to a 5-7% decrease in broiler prices, which account for half of the total expenses.
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These estimations consider ingredient prices across various regions in India, encompassing cereals, pulses, broilers, vegetables, spices, edible oil, and cooking gas, offering insights into the cost dynamics.
Year-on-year, there was a 12% rise in the cost of a vegetarian thali, largely propelled by significant increases of 82% and 42% in onion and tomato prices, respectively. Additionally, pulses, constituting 9% of the veg thali cost, surged by 24% in price.
Conversely, non-vegetarian meal expenses saw a 4% decline year-on-year, primarily due to a 15% decrease in broiler prices amid increased production, the report noted.