Dip in tomato prices helps bring down veg, non-veg thali prices in Sep

Mumbai: The cost of veg and non-veg thalis in India witnessed a decline on a month-on-month basis in September thanks to falling tomato prices, a report said on Thursday.

According to Crisil Market Intelligence and Analytics' monthly indicator of food plate cost - Roti Rice Rate (RRR), the cost of veg and non-veg thalis fell by 17 per cent and 9 per cent, respectively, in September, compared to the previous month.

Tomato price, which declined 62 per cent, month-on-month, to Rs 39 per kg in September from Rs 102 per kg in August, was a major factor for the decline in thali prices.

On a year-on-year basis, however, the cost of veg thali was marginally down by 1 per cent in September, while the non-veg thali was marginally up by 0.65 per cent due to high wheat and palm oil prices, the report said.

The report further revealed that onion prices rose by 12 per cent month-on-month in September and are likely to remain firm as kharif 2023 output is expected to be muted.

Meanwhile, the decline in the cost of a non-vegetarian thali was limited to 9 per cent in September, as prices of broiler chicken, which is more than 50 per cent share in the total thali cost, witnessed a marginal increase of 2-3 per cent, the report said.

The report also revealed that the fuel companies, which account for 14 per cent and 8 per cent of total cost of vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis, respectively, declined 18 per cent sequentially in September, as the cost of a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder fell to Rs 903 from Rs 1,103.

Prices of chillies also provided some relief as the prices declined by 31 per cent compared to the previous month, it added.

The weighted average prices of chillies in September was Rs 30 per kg, down from Rs 44/kg in August.