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The cost of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian home-cooked thalis rose by 2 per cent year-on-year in April 2026 as higher prices of tomatoes, vegetable oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders increased food expenses, according to Crisil Intelligence's latest Roti Rice Rate report.
The report stated, "In April, the cost of both home-cooked vegetarian (veg) and non-vegetarian (non-veg) thalis rose 2% on-year." The average cost of preparing the meals was calculated based on input prices prevailing across North, South, East and West India. The monthly indicator reflected the impact of changes in food prices on the common man's expenditure and identified ingredients such as cereals, pulses, broilers, vegetables, spices, edible oil and cooking gas as the key drivers behind the movement in thali prices. A major factor behind the rise in thali costs was the sharp increase in tomato prices. According to the report, tomato prices surged 38 per cent year-on-year to Rs 29 per kg in April 2026 from Rs 21 per kg a year ago due to a 3-4 per cent decline in production amid lower acreage in southern states. Global supply disruptions also pushed up the prices of vegetable oil and LPG cylinders by 7 per cent on-year each, further adding to household cooking expenses. Commenting on the trend, Pushan Sharma, Director, Crisil Intelligence, said, "Tomato prices remain a major monitorable in the near term and are expected to rise during July-August, amid lower summer sowing due to weak price sentiment and concerns over heatwaves in key northern growing regions." However, the increase in thali costs was partially offset by lower prices of onion, potato and pulses. "Onion prices fell 16% on-year due to excess supply from overlapping late kharif arrivals and the rabi harvest, and weak exports," the report said. Potato prices declined 14 per cent year-on-year as rabi output increased by 2-3 per cent and cold storage stocks were liquidated. Meanwhile, pulse prices fell 4 per cent on-year due to duty-free imports of tur, which helped offset domestic production shortfalls and ensured sufficient supply in the market. The report further stated that the cost of a non-vegetarian thali rose because of an estimated 2 per cent increase in broiler prices, which account for nearly half the cost of a non-vegetarian plate. "The cost of a non-veg thali rose due to an estimated 2% on-year uptick in broiler prices, which accounted for ~50% of the cost," the report stated, attributing the increase to intense summer heat leading to higher poultry deaths and tighter supply. On a month-on-month basis, the cost of a vegetarian thali remained flat, while that of a non-vegetarian thali rose 1 per cent in April. (ANI)
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