The cost of a home-cooked vegetarian thali fell by 8 per cent year-on-year in June, mainly due to a sharp decline in vegetable prices from a high base, according to a report released on Tuesday by Crisil Intelligence.

The report noted that non-vegetarian thali costs dropped 6 per cent on-year, aided by a 3 per cent fall in broiler prices, which constitute roughly 50 per cent of a non-vegetarian thali's cost.

“Tomato prices, in particular, saw a sharp on-year decline,” said Pushan Sharma, Director, Crisil Intelligence. Tomato prices dropped 24 per cent to Rs 32 per kg in June 2025 from Rs 42 per kg in June 2024. This was attributed to a high base linked to poor yields last year.

Onion and potato prices also declined by 27 per cent and 20 per cent year-on-year, respectively.

Costs may rise in coming months

Looking ahead, Sharma noted, “We expect thali costs to inch up sequentially as seasonal changes push up vegetable prices. Onion prices are expected to rise moderately due to the absence of fresh arrivals and controlled release of stored rabi stock.”

A weaker summer sowing of tomato is also likely to add upward pressure on costs in the months ahead.

Despite the year-on-year fall, thali costs rose in June compared to May. The vegetarian thali cost increased by 3 per cent, and the non-vegetarian thali by 4 per cent month-on-month.

Crisil calculates the average thali cost using input prices from across north, south, east and west India, reflecting the monthly impact on household expenditure.