Per plate food cost in India inched up in past two months: Crisil report

New Delhi [India], July 6 : The per plate cost of veg and non-veg thali in India, which has been on a decline since October 2022, nosed up in May and June 2023, according to Crisil Market Intelligence and Analytics report.

Crisil's monthly indicator of food plate cost said that soaring tomato, pulses, and staple grain prices have added pressure on the platter.

Per plate veg thali, as per Crisil estimates, increased from Rs 25.1 in April to Rs 26.3 in June. Similarly, for non-veg, it is estimated to have increased from Rs 58.3 to Rs 60.

The average cost of a thali was calculated based on input prices prevailing in north, south, east, and west India.

Tomatoes, for over a month now, have been burning a hole in the common people's pockets as their prices have skyrocketed. They are being sold at over Rs 100 per kg in several key cities.

According to the database maintained by the Price Monitoring Division under the Department of Consumer Affairs, per kilo tomato on average rose by Rs 60-100 of what they were in retail markets in early June. Data showed prices of tomatoes in Delhi rose from Rs 20 per kg in early June to Rs 110 this week. Similarly, in Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata, three key consuming regions, they rose to Rs 117, Rs 100, and Rs 148.

In the pulses basket, the Crisil report said tur and gram prices have increased 3 per cent month-on-month in June, contributing to the sequential increase in per-thali costing.

Wheat flour prices spurted 9 per cent year-on-year in June, Crisil said.

The cost of both veg and non-veg thalis, however, declined 5 per cent year-on-year in June 2023 due to steep a decline in prices of vegetables and cooking oil which account for 25 per cent of the total cost of a veg thali but an increase in prices of cereals, pulses and chicken capped the reduction.

"The decline in thali cost was supported by an on-year decline of 15 per cent in onion and potato prices and 20 per cent in cooking oil prices in June," Crisil said.

Prices of rice and pulses inched up 12 per cent and 8 per cent on-year, respectively, in June, preventing further decline in the cost of a veg thali.