Centre notes that the reported 14 per cent decrease in the cost of a homemade thali in July 2025 further reflects the continued moderation of food inflation during the month
Highlighting that the prices of most commodities monitored by the Department of Consumer Affairs are exhibiting either a stable or declining trend on a year-on-year basis, the Centre has stated that food commodity prices have largely remained stable and well-contained throughout the current calendar year.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has highlighted that the reported 14 per cent decrease in the cost of a homemade thali in July 2025 further reflects the continued moderation of food inflation during the month. The retail prices of tomatoes prevailing at various centres across the country are influenced by temporary localised factors rather than any fundamental demand-supply imbalance or production shortfall.
“The current average retail price of tomato in Delhi, at Rs 73 per kg, is primarily the result of heavy rainfall in the northern and north-western regions of the country since the last week of July. This weather-related disruption caused prices to spike to as high as Rs 85 per kg by the end of July,” the official statement noted.
However, with the recovery and stabilisation of daily arrivals at the Azadpur mandi over the past week, both mandi and retail prices have begun to decline. The ministry emphasised that major cities such as Chennai and Mumbai, which have not experienced abnormal weather conditions in recent weeks, have not witnessed a similar price surge. The current average retail prices of tomato in Chennai and Mumbai are Rs 50 per kg and Rs 58 per kg, respectively, substantially lower than the prevailing price in Delhi.
In respect of potato and onion, higher production in 2024-25 over the previous year ensures a sufficient supply and a substantially lower retail price over last year. This year, the government has procured three lakh tonne of onion for price stabilisation buffer. Calibrated and targeted release of onions from the buffer is expected to start from September 2025.
