Erratic rainfall, festive demand raised cost of veg thali 10% in November

The cost of a non-veg thali jumped 5% in November as compared to October: CRISIL's Roti Rice Rate index

Owing to lower Kharif output due to erratic rainfall and higher demand in the festive season, the cost of vegetarian thali in India increased 10 per cent in November as compared to October, according to rating agency CRISIL. The cost of a non-veg thali jumped 5 per cent month-on-month (MoM).

In its Roti Rice Rate index, CRISIL said that the uptick in the price of veg thali was attributable to 58 per cent in onion prices and 35 per cent in tomato prices. As compared to November last year, the change in the cost of veg thali was 9 per cent.

"The cost of the veg thali rose 9 per cent year-on-year (YoY), driven by a 93 per cent and 15 per cent increase in onion and tomato prices, respectively. Prices of pulses, which account for 9 per cent of the veg thali cost, also increased 21 per cent YoY," CRISIL said.

A veg thali comprises roti, vegetables (onion, tomato, and potato), rice, dal, curd, and salad. Its average cost is calculated based on input prices prevailing in north, south, east, and west India.

For non-vegetarian thali, the increase in prices was lower because of a dip in broiler prices. Notably, it accounts for 50 per cent of the total cost of a non-veg thali. The constituents of a non-veg thali are the same as a veg thali, just dal is replaced by chicken.

As compared to November last year, the change in the cost of a non-veg thali was flat.

In October, the cost of veg and non-veg thalis dipped 1 per cent and 3 per cent as compared to September, owing to a drop in potato, tomato and broiler prices.

To cool the food inflation in India, the Centre has been selling onions at a subsidised rate of Rs 25 per kg via the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF), National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), Kendriya Bhandar, and state-controlled cooperatives.