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.

Poultry cools

On-year, the cost of the representative home-cooked veg thali rose 5% in January, while that of the non-veg thali declined 13%, as per CRISIL MI&A Research estimates:

• The cost of the veg thali increased due to a surge of 35% and 20% on-year in prices of onion and tomato, respectively
• Prices of rice (accounting for 12% of the veg thali cost) and pulses (9%) also increased 14% and 21% on-year, respectively
• The decrease in the cost of the non-veg thali was due to a decline of ~26% on-year in broiler prices amid higher productio
  

On-month, the cost of the veg and non-veg thalis fell 6% and 8%, respectively:

• The easing was due to a decrease of 26% and 16% on-month in prices of onion and tomato, respectively, with higher domestic supply of onion amid export curbs and fresh tomato arrivals from the northern and eastern states
• The cost of the non-veg thali declined faster due to a decline of 8-10% on-month in prices of broilers, which account for ~50% of the cost