In December 2023, the prices of representative home-cooked vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis saw a decline of 3-5%, as reported by CRISIL MI&A Research. This reduction was attributed to a 14% and 3% decrease in the prices of onions and tomatoes, respectively, following the conclusion of the festival season. The cost of the non-vegetarian thali dropped more significantly due to a 5-7% on-month decline in broiler prices, which constitute 50% of the total cost. In November 2023, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis experienced a 10% and 5% on-month increase in costs, respectively.
The cheaper meals in December included a vegetarian thali priced at Rs 29.7 (down from Rs 30.5) and a non-vegetarian thali priced at Rs 57.6 (down from Rs 60.4). However, on a year-on-year basis, the cost of the vegetarian thali increased by 12%, while the non-vegetarian thali saw a 4% decrease.
The decline in thali costs was influenced by a 15% on-year reduction in broiler prices in November 2023. The average cost of preparing a thali is determined based on input prices in different regions of India, and the monthly changes reflect the impact on common people’s expenditures. CRISIL’s report also highlights the specific ingredients driving changes in thali costs, including cereals, pulses, broilers, vegetables, spices, edible oil, and cooking gas.