The average cost of preparing a thali at home is calculated based on input prices prevailing in north, south, east and west India. The monthly change reflects the impact on the common man’s expenditure. The data also reveals the ingredients (cereals, pulses, broilers, vegetables, spices, edible oil and cooking gas) driving the change in the cost of the thali.

Tomato softens

The cost of a home-cooked vegetarian thali declined 3% on-year, while that of a nonvegetarian thali remained flat on-year in March

• The on-year decline in the cost of a vegetarian thali was due to a sharp dip in the prices of tomato
  
  • Tomato prices declined 34% on-year to Rs 21/kg in March 2025 from Rs 32/kg in March 2024. Arrival of tomato crop across the country rose 29% - the increase was particularly in the southern states, which had a robust rabi crop due to increased acreage and better yield on-year amid healthy reservoir levels
    
  • However, a 2%, 6% and 19% on-year jump in the prices of potato, onion and vegetable oil, respectively, prevented a further decline in the cost of avegetarian thali
    
• The sharp drop in tomato prices helped keep the cost of a non-vegetarian thali from increasing. However, the overall decline was offset by rising prices of other commodities
  
  • A 2% on-year increase in broiler prices - which make up about 50% of a nonvegetarian thali’s cost - prevented any reduction. Broiler prices rose due to alow base from the previous year when oversupply had caused prices to dip 
    

On-month, the cost of a vegetarian and non-vegetarian thali declined 2% and ~5%,respectively, in March 2025

• Onion, potato and tomato prices declined 5%, 7% and 8% on-month, respectively, amid fresh arrivals 
• The cost of a non-vegetarian thali declined owing to an estimated 7% on-month drop in broiler prices. Our interactions suggest elevated supply in the north, coupled with slower demand amid a bird flu scare in the south, led to the dip