The prices of home-cooked meals saw a decrease In December driven by a sharp fall in onion prices, according to a report by Crisil’s Market Intelligence and Analytics division in its monthly ‘Roti, Rice, Rate’ report released on Monday.

The report outlined a 3 per cent reduction in the cost of a vegetarian (veg) thali, down to Rs 29.7, while a non-vegetarian (non-veg) thali dropped by 5 per cent to Rs 57.6 during the same period.

The decline in meal prices was associated with a 14 per cent decrease in onion prices and a 5 per cent reduction in tomato prices after the conclusion of festivities.

On December 7, the government imposed a ban on onion exports until March 2024 to stabilize the prices of onions, which are politically sensitive due to their impact on consumer costs.

Regarding non-veg thalis, the decline in prices was more pronounced due to a 5-7 per cent decrease in broiler prices, which constitute half of the overall price.

Comparatively, however, the cost of a vegetarian thali showed a 12 per cent increase compared to the year-ago period, primarily due to an 82 per cent surge in onion prices and a 42 per cent rise in tomato prices.

In contrast, the cost of a non-veg thali saw a 4 per cent reduction year-on-year owing to a 15 per cent decline in broiler prices, as per the report’s findings.

(With PTI inputs)

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