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

Tomato relents a tad

• In August, the cost of a household thali declined marginally on-month on a high base and was elevated onyear for the second time this fiscal, primarily because of firm tomato prices
  

• The cost of a vegetarian thali rose 24% and a non-vegetarian thali 13% on-year in the month
  
  • Of the 24% rise in the vegetarian thali cost, 21% can be attributed solely to the price of tomato, which rose 176% on-year to Rs 102/kg in the month vs Rs 37/kg a year ago
    
  • The prices of onion rose 8%, chili 20% and cumin 158% on-year, accounting for ~1% increase in the cost of vegetarian thali
  • For non-vegetarian thali, the cost increase was slower as the price of broilers, which form more than 50% of the cost, is estimated to have risen a moderate 1-3% on-year
    
  • A 17% on-year decline in the price of vegetable oil and 14% in potato cushioned the cost of both the thalis to some extent 
• The costs could see some pull back in September as tomato retail price has halved on-month to Rs 51/kg. Also, the cost of a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder, which was Rs 1,103 inAugust has been brought down to Rs 903 per cylinder from September. This will also come as a relief for consumers