Blitz Bureau
BUCKING the trend, the cost of both veg and non-veg thalis increased by 11 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively, in the month of July as ingredient prices went up, a report showed on August 6. However, year-on-year, the cost of a representative home-cooked veg thali declined by 4 per cent in July, while that of the non-veg thali decreased 9 per cent.
According to Crisil’s monthly indicator of food plate cost, the prices of cereals, pulses, broilers, vegetables, spices, edible oil and cooking gas drove changes in the cost of a thali. Seven per cent out of the 11 per cent rise in the cost of the veg thali can be attributed to only tomato prices, which have zoomed 55 per cent on-month from Rs 42 per kg in June to Rs 66 per kg in July.
High temperatures
According to the data, this was mainly due to high temperatures impacting the summer crop in key states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Additionally, scattered rainfall in May in Karnataka escalated whitefly infestations, thereby impacting the crop output.
“Cost of the non-veg thali rose at a slower pace compared with the veg thali since the price of broiler, comprising more than 50 per cent of the total, is estimated to have remained stable,” the report noted. On the other hand, the price of onion and potato rose 20 per cent and 16 per cent month-on-month, respectively, further contributing to the higher cost of the veg thali, the Crisil report said.
Tomato prices
Year-on-year, the cost of a veg thali declined due to a 40 per cent drop in tomato prices on the high base of the previous fiscal. Prices had touched Rs 110 per kg in July 2023, affected by flash floods that hit supply from northern states while pest infestation impacted the output from Karnataka.
