Rice roti rate in June: High tomato, onion and potato prices push veg thali price by 10%, price for non-veg thali falls 4%

Food inflation: The cost of home-cooked vegetarian thali went by 10% year-on-year due to a surge of 30%, 46% and 59% in prices of tomato, onion and potato (TOP), respectively, largely due to low base of last fiscal, Crisil said in its monthly food price report. 

TOP prices surged because of lower onion arrivals due to a significant drop in rabi acreage, a decline in yield for potato crops due to unseasonal rainfall in March, and virus infestation in tomato summer crop due to high temperatures in key growing regions of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh that tamped tomato arrivals down 35% on-year, the report stated.

The cost of home-cooked vegetarian thali in June 2024 was Rs 29.40 as compared to Rs 25.50 a year ago. In May 2024, the veg thali cost was 27.80 as compared to Rs 25.50 in May 2023. The cost of veg thali, which comprises roti, vegetables (onions, tomatoes and potatoes), rice, dal, curd and salad. 

In comparison, the price of non-vegetarian thali went down by 4% due to an estimated decline of ~14% on-year in broiler prices on a high base of last fiscal, coupled with oversupply situation and lower feed cost on-year.  

The cost of home-cooked non-vegetarian thali in June 2024 was Rs 58.30 as compared to Rs 60.50 a year ago. In May 2024, the non-veg thali cost was Rs 55.90 as compared to Rs 59.90 in May 2023. The cost of non- veg thali, which comprises roti, vegetables (onions, tomatoes and potatoes), rice, chicken, curd and salad.

On-month, however, the cost of both veg and non-veg thalis increased, by 6% and 4%, respectively:
• The cost of the veg thali rose on-month mainly due to a rise in vegetable prices, with prices of potato, onion and tomato rising 9%, 15% and 29%, respectively, due to lower arrivals.
• The cost of the non-veg thali also rose due to elevated vegetable prices, but an estimated 1% on-month increase in the cost of broiler, which accounts for ~50% of the non-veg thali cost, arrested further increase.