Thali plates reflect spike in food prices

The data reveals ingredients such as cereals, pulses, broiler and cooking gas driving changes in the price of a thali

- Puja Das

The cost of vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis, or plates, trended up sequentially in June following a spike in the prices of tomato, tur and chana dal, impacting consumer expenditure and the economy, a report said.

The average cost of a thali is calculated based on input prices. Monthly change reflects the impact on the common person’s expenditure.

While the cost of a vegetarian thali rose from ₹25.1 in May to ₹26.3 in June, that of a non-vegetarian thali increased from ₹59.3 in May to ₹60 in June, Crisil said.

However, the cost of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis declined 5% on year in June due to a steep fall in prices of vegetables and cooking oil, which together account for 25% of the total cost of a vegetarian thali. An increase in the prices of cereals, pulses and chicken, however, capped the reduction.