Thali Prices Fall 13% This Year as Food Costs Ease

Thali Prices Fall 13% This Year as Food Costs Ease

Why in News?

Recently India saw a notable drop in household vegetarian thali prices, with the average cost falling 13.14% year-on-year in November. The decline was highlighted in CRISIL’s ‘Roti Rice Rate’ (RRR) report, reflecting easing food costs.

Highlights of CRISIL’s “Roti Rice Rate” (RRR) Report 2025

• The latest RRR release shows that in November 2025 the cost of a home-cooked vegetarian and non-vegetarian thali dropped by about 13% year-on-year, compared with November 2024. 
• The price of a domestic vegetarian thali in India fell by 13.14% (year-on-year) to ₹28.4 in November 2024. The price of a vegetarian thali in November 2024 was ₹32.7.
• The reduction was mainly due to large decreases in prices of key vegetables and pulses. Tomato prices fell around 17% year-on-year, while potato prices dropped about 29%. Onion prices slumped about 53%.
• Pulses also became cheaper, with prices down about 17%. This drop came amid a surge in imports of pulses such as Bengal gram, yellow pea and black gram in fiscal 2025. 
• The cost of a non-vegetarian thali fell as well. A major reason was a 12% drop in broiler chicken prices, which constitute roughly 50% of the cost of a non-veg thali. 
• Some price elements moved upward, vegetable oil prices rose about 6% year-on-year. 
• On a month-on-month basis (comparing October to November 2025), the cost of a vegetarian thali actually rose by ~2%, while the non-veg version fell by ~1%.

Drivers Behind the Decline in Food Costs

• Supply-side Abundance: Farmers produced more vegetables and staples in the recent harvest seasons. Increased output raised market stocks and pushed down wholesale and retail prices. Vegetable supply improved notably after a strong rabi season.
• Sharp Fall in Vegetable Prices: Prices of staples such as tomato, potato, and onion fell sharply year-on-year. Lower vegetable bills reduced the cost of home-cooked meals. These declines directly cut the price of a typical household thali in November 2025. 
• Eased Pulses Prices: India increased pulse imports in fiscal 2025. The inflow raised domestic availability and lowered pulse prices by roughly the mid-teens on a year-on-year basis. Cheaper pulses eased costs for households that rely on legumes. Pulse imports therefore helped cool food costs in 2025.
• Lower Protein Costs: Broiler chicken prices dropped in 2025. Oversupply in poultry farms reduced wholesale rates. The fall in broiler costs made non-veg meals cheaper. Lower meat prices thus contributed to the overall decline in the food plate cost.
• Base Effect: Food prices were unusually high in parts of 2024. Those higher comparators amplified year-on-year declines in 2025 statistics. The statistical base effect therefore magnified the apparent drop in many food items. 
• Favourable Weather: Weather remained broadly benign for major producing regions during key cropping windows. Stable rainfall and mild temperatures supported yields. Better yields increased arrivals in mandis. Strong arrivals eased pressure on retail prices.
• Trade and Policy Adjustments: Policymakers adjusted import duties and allowed higher shipments of select commodities. Traders responded by bringing in more produce and improved market liquidity.

How Thali Prices Are Calculated by CRISIL?

• Thali Composition: CRISIL begins with a fixed list of food items that go into a typical Indian thali. The list remains the same each month. A vegetarian thali includes rice or wheat flour, pulses, vegetables, spices, edible oil, and cooking fuel. A non-vegetarian thali contains all components of the vegetarian thali but replaces a portion of pulses with broiler chicken.
• Daily Retail Prices: CRISIL gathers daily price data from the north, south, east, and west. These prices represent major consumption centres and major mandis. CRISIL calculates the regional thali cost separately before averaging them to get a national number.
• Multiplies with Fixed Quantities: Each ingredient has a defined quantity. CRISIL multiplies that quantity with the retail price of the item for that day. For example, if the daily wheat flour price is known, CRISIL multiplies that value with the grams of flour used to make rotis in the thali.
• Cooking Fuel: CRISIL always includes the price of cooking gas in the total thali cost. CRISIL uses the LPG price published on the first day of each month. The cost is divided into a per-meal equivalent.
• Comparation: CRISIL looks at price movement through two comparisons. Month-on-month change shows short-term pressure such as seasonal spikes in vegetables. Year-on-year change shows deeper structural movements such as improved harvests or strong imports.

Implications

• Inflation: A decline in thali prices creates an immediate effect on food inflation because staple items hold a large weight in the consumer basket. This creates space for better management because lower food inflation reduces pressure on headline inflation. This ensures that low-income families can handle routine expenses without cutting essential spending. 
• Food Security: A drop in thali cost directly strengthens food security because more families can afford a complete meal. Food security depends on availability, access, and stability. Cheaper vegetables, pulses, and essential cereals improve access because families can purchase diversified food items without stretching their budgets. 
• Policy Planning: The thali cost index helps policymakers design targeted interventions. Policymakers can analyse these patterns to decide how procurement, storage, and distribution systems should evolve. When vegetable prices fall due to strong harvests, the government can expand cold storage and warehousing to prevent future wastage. 
• Household Nutrition: Household behaviour changes when food becomes more affordable. Families tend to buy larger quantities, this improves overall nutrition because meals become richer in fibre, vitamins, and proteins. Better nutrition strengthens health outcomes, especially for children and elderly people.