Your ‘Thali’ of food got cheaper in December; find out why

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.

Also read/watch - Adani slips to second in India's richest ranking after briefly reclaiming the top spot

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.