Home-cooked thali costs diverged in August, with higher onion, edible oil, LPG and broiler prices pushing up annual costs despite cheaper potatoes and tomatoes
The cost of preparing a non-vegetarian thali at home increased 5 per cent year-on-year in August 2026, while the cost of a vegetarian thali rose 1 per cent, according to Crisil Intelligence’s monthly food plate cost indicator. Higher commodity and cooking fuel prices contributed to the increase in household food preparation costs.
The increase in vegetarian thali costs was primarily driven by higher prices of onion, vegetable oil, rice and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), Crisil said. The impact was partly offset by lower potato and tomato prices, which declined 12 per cent and 28 per cent, respectively, compared with August 2025.
Onion prices rose about 43 per cent year-on-year to Rs 40 per kg in August 2026 from Rs 28 per kg in August 2025. Crisil attributed the increase to supply tightness, with unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms in Maharashtra during March-April damaging the late-season crop and stored inventories, while a 5–6 per cent decline in rabi production further constrained availability.
Edible oil and LPG cylinder prices also increased during the period, rising 11 per cent and 10 per cent year-on-year, respectively. According to Crisil, supply disruptions and elevated energy prices caused by the conflict in West Asia contributed to the increase in the prices of these inputs, adding to the overall cost of preparing food at home.
Lower potato and tomato prices provided some relief to household food costs during August. Potato prices declined 12 per cent year-on-year, supported by an estimated 2–3 per cent increase in rabi production following acreage expansion, while tomato prices fell 28 per cent as delayed summer planting shifted supplies into July-August.
Tomato supplies were also higher during the period, with market arrivals estimated at about 20 per cent above the year-earlier level in July-August. Crisil said a one-month delay in summer planting shifted supplies from May-June to July-August, increasing market availability and exerting downward pressure on tomato prices during the period.
The increase in non-vegetarian thali costs was additionally driven by higher broiler prices. Broiler prices were estimated to have increased 10 per cent year-on-year in August, while chicken accounted for about 50 per cent of the cost of the non-vegetarian thali. Crisil attributed the rise in broiler prices to higher feed costs.
On a month-on-month basis, the cost of preparing a vegetarian thali increased 1 per cent in August, while the cost of a non-vegetarian thali declined 1 per cent. The increase in onion prices was the main factor behind the monthly rise in vegetarian thali costs, although lower tomato prices and stable prices of other commodities limited the increase.
Onion prices increased 17 per cent month-on-month in August, putting upward pressure on the cost of the vegetarian thali. This was partly offset by a 7 per cent decline in tomato prices, while prices of other commodities remained relatively stable, preventing a larger increase in the overall cost of preparing the meal at home.
The cost of the non-vegetarian thali declined on a monthly basis as broiler prices fell an estimated 4 per cent in August. Crisil linked the decline to moderation in demand during the Shravan month, which reduced the monthly cost pressure from chicken and more than offset the impact of movements in other ingredients in the non-vegetarian thali basket.
Crisil’s monthly food plate cost indicator measures the average cost of preparing a thali at home using prevailing input prices across north, south, east and west India. The indicator tracks ingredients including cereals, pulses, broilers, vegetables, spices, edible oil and cooking gas to assess their impact on household expenditure.
The vegetarian thali in the indicator comprises roti, vegetables including onion, tomato and potato, rice, dal, curd and salad. The non-vegetarian thali replaces dal with chicken, with broiler prices based on estimates. Crisil said the weightage assigned to ingredients does not change based on commodity price volatility, while some commodity prices are estimated due to data availability constraints.
