The cost of a home-cooked vegetarian thali remained steady in March compared to the previous year, while the price of a non-vegetarian thali decreased by 1% due to lower chicken prices. Factors such as reduced onion, potato, and pulse prices balanced out the rise in tomato, edible oil, and fuel costs for the vegetarian thali.
Tomato prices surged by 33% to Rs 28 per kg in March 2026, driven by delayed transplanting in key regions like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Conversely, onion prices dropped by 25% due to oversupply, and weak demand affected potato prices. Pulse prices also fell by 6% due to higher opening stocks, easing price pressure.
Vegetable oil prices rose by 6% due to global supply disruptions, while liquefied petroleum gas cylinder prices increased by 14% amid global supply issues. Crisil Intelligence Director Pushan Sharma highlighted that geopolitical uncertainties are likely to keep vegetable oil prices elevated in the near future.
Onion prices may continue to face pressure in the short term, but a projected 10% production decline and damage to the summer crop could lead to a gradual recovery in prices. The report suggests that support from exports or organizations like the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Development Federation (NAFED) could further bolster onion prices.
The average cost of preparing a thali is determined based on input prices across various regions in India, impacting common household expenses. The data reflects the influence of ingredients like cereals, pulses, broilers, vegetables, spices, edible oil, and cooking gas on thali costs.
