Cost of home-cooked veg thali remains flat in March, non-veg falls 1%: Crisil report

The cost of a home-cooked vegetarian thali remained unchanged year-on-year in March, while the price of a non-vegetarian thali declined by about 1%, mainly because of lower broiler prices, according to the latest Crisil Roti Rice Rate (RRR) report.

The report calculates the average cost of preparing a thali based on prevailing input prices across north, south, east, and west India. The monthly movement in prices reflects its impact on household expenditure. Ingredients tracked include cereals, pulses, broilers, vegetables, spices, edible oil, and cooking gas.

"The cost of a vegetarian thali remained stable year-on-year in March as lower prices of onions, potatoes and pulses offset the increase in tomato, edible oil and fuel costs. Tomato prices rose due to delayed transplanting in key regions, while onion prices fell because of a supply surplus and weak demand weighed on potato prices," said Pushan Sharma, director of Crisil Intelligence.

Tomato prices increased 33% year-on-year to ₹28 per kg in March, from ₹21 per kg in March 2025. The rise was driven by delayed transplantation in key producing states such as Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, which affected crop growth, yields, and timely market arrivals.

In contrast, onion prices declined 25% year-on-year owing to excess supply from overlapping late kharif arrivals and the rabi harvest, along with weak export demand. This surplus led to distress selling, especially given the limited shelf life of late kharif onions. Potato prices also dropped 13% year-on-year, mainly due to weak demand from the hotel, restaurant, and catering (HORECA) sector and ongoing stock liquidation.

Prices of pulses fell 6% year-on-year, supported by higher opening stocks in the current fiscal. Tur inventories for the July-June marketing year are estimated to be 20% higher, while Bengal gram stocks for the January-December marketing year are about 10% higher, putting downward pressure on prices.

Meanwhile, the cost of a non-vegetarian thali declined by about 1%, driven by an estimated 2% year-on-year drop in broiler chicken prices, which make up nearly 50% of the total cost, and a high base. The fall was further supported by lower prices of onions, potatoes, and pulses.

On a month-on-month basis, the cost of vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis declined by 3% and 2%, respectively, in March. Tomato and potato prices fell by 6% each, while onion prices dropped 14%, driven by higher market arrivals and weak export as well as domestic demand, which supported the overall decline. The cost of a non-vegetarian thali eased sequentially due to an estimated 2% month-on-month decline in broiler chicken prices, as demand softened during Navratri, when many consumers avoid non-vegetarian food.

According to Sharma, the West Asia conflict has driven up crude oil prices, which has, in turn, lifted edible oil prices amid increasing demand from the biofuel segment. Global prices of palm and sunflower oil increased during the month, transmitting to domestic markets as well. At the same time, importers have turned cautious due to high prices, reducing their procurement and weighing on ending stocks.

Sharma said, "In the near term, geopolitical uncertainties are expected to keep vegetable oil prices high. Onion prices are expected to remain under pressure in the near term due to high arrivals and sluggish export demand."

However, with an estimated 10% decline in production and reported damage to the summer crop (which is crucial for lean-season supply), onion prices are expected to recover gradually in the coming months. A resurgence in exports or intervention by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Development Federation (NAFED) could further support prices, Sharma added.