Home-cooked veg, non-veg thalis were 6 percent cheaper in May as vegetable prices cooled off, says Crisil

The month of May also saw a near 6 percent on-year fall in the price of broiler non-vegetarian thali due to oversupply and lower demand following concerns of bird flu in parts of Maharashtra, Andhra, Telangana and Karnataka.

Softer vegetable prices last month meant that the cost of home-cooked vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian thalis fell by close to 6 percent on year during May, Crisil's monthly indicator of food plate cost showed on June 5.

The decline was due to a sharp fall in vegetable prices owing to the high-base effect.

Tomato prices fell close to 29 percent to Rs 23/kg in May 2025 from Rs 33/kg a year ago, as worries around crop yield had sent prices sharply higher last year. Prices of onion and potato too declined by close to 15 percent and 16 percent, respectively, the Crisil report said.

Last year in May, the price of potatoes had shot up due to crop damage after blight infestations and unseasonal rain in West Bengal. Prices of onion had risen last year due to lower rabi acreage and yield, and due to fall in water availability in key growing states – Maharashtra, MP and Karnataka.

Any further fall in thali prices in May 2025 was arrested by a rise in vegetable oil prices as import duty turned costlier. The month saw a 19 percent on year rise in vegetable oil prices as well as a 6 percent rise in LPG cylinder prices, the report said.

The month of May also saw a near 6 percent on-year fall in the price of broiler non-vegetarian thali due to oversupply and lower demand following concerns of bird flu in parts of Maharashtra, Andhra, Telangana and Karnataka. Broiler makes up about 50 percent of the non-vegetarian thali cost.

As per Crisil's note, a veg thali comprises of roti, vegetables (onion, tomato and potato), rice, dal, curd and salad. A non-veg thali has same items, except dal, which is replaced by broiler chicken. The average cost of a home-made thali is calculated on input prices across India, and the monthly change captures the impact on a common household's expenditure.