3 weeks ago
Vegetarian Thali Cost Hits 7-Month High As Onion Prices Surge
Imagine your family cooks a meal at home every day.
In July, that meal got a little more expensive to make.
A report from Crisil Intelligence says a vegetarian meal cost about ₹29.1 in July.
That is about 2% more than the month before, and the highest in seven months.
The main reason is onions — they got much more expensive.
Bad weather hurt onion crops and stores in Maharashtra earlier in the year.
Cooking oil and cooking gas also cost more than last year.
A meal with chicken or meat cost the same as last month, but more than last year because chicken prices went up.
So some dinners now cost a bit more, mostly because of onions and other ingredients going up.
The cost of a home-cooked vegetarian thali rose to ₹29.1 in July, up 2% from ₹28.4 in June — its highest level in seven months.
Onion prices were the biggest driver, surging 23% month-on-month and 20% year-on-year due to damaged rabi stocks in Maharashtra.
The non-vegetarian thali cost stayed unchanged at ₹58.3 month-on-month but was 9% higher than a year earlier, driven by broiler chicken prices.
Vegetable oil prices rose 11% and LPG cylinder prices 10% year-on-year, linked to supply disruptions and West Asia tensions.
Potato and tomato prices fell 12% and 2% year-on-year respectively, partly offsetting the overall rise in thali costs.
- Who
- Crisil Intelligence, whose monthly Roti Rice Rate report tracks the cost of home-cooked meals, and Indian households that prepare them.
- What
- The average cost of a vegetarian thali rose to ₹29.1 in July, a 2% monthly increase and a seven-month high, driven mainly by surging onion prices.
- Where
- India.
- When
- July, the latest month reported, compared with June and with July 2025.
- Why
- Onion prices surged 23% month-on-month due to supply constraints from damaged rabi stocks, while vegetable oil and LPG prices rose on higher costs and West Asia tensions.
Key facts
- Vegetarian thali cost (July)
- ₹29.1
- Vegetarian thali cost (June)
- ₹28.4
- Monthly / annual change in vegetarian thali
- +2% / +4%
- Non-vegetarian thali cost (July)
- ₹58.3 (unchanged from June)
- Annual change in non-vegetarian thali
- +9%
- Onion price change (monthly / annual)
- +23% / +20%
- Vegetable oil / LPG price change (annual)
- +11% / +10%
- Report source
- Crisil Intelligence Roti Rice Rate report
Quotes
Pushan Sharma
Director of Crisil Intelligence
“"Onion prices are expected to remain firm due to tight rabi supplies and an expected delay in kharif onion arrivals. Potato prices may inch up as high-priced cold-storage stock is released into the market, while tomato prices will likely remain stable in the near term, supported by fresh arrivals from the south, before strengthening from September on account of delayed kharif arrivals and seasonal festive demand"”
livemint.com
“"Higher onion, edible oil and LPG prices kept the costs elevated for both thali categories. Onion prices rose on tighter supply following weather-related damage to crops and inventories in Maharashtra, which accounts for 40% share in India"”
livemint.com
Sources
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