Onion, oil or chicken: What made your thali costlier in July

Your home-cooked thali may have been a little less pocket-friendly in July.The price of a home-cooked vegetarian thali rose 4 per cent from a year ago, while a non-vegetarian thali became 9 per cent costlier, according to a report released on Friday. Higher prices of onions, vegetable oil, LPG and chicken drove the increase.For the vegetarian thali, onions were one of the biggest contributors to the rise. Onion prices were 20 per cent higher than a year ago, while vegetable oil became 11 per cent more expensive and LPG cylinder prices rose 10 per cent.The increase was sharper for a non-vegetarian thali as broiler chicken prices also climbed 14 per cent from a year ago. Since broiler chicken makes up nearly half the cost of a non-vegetarian meal, the rise had a bigger impact, Crisil Intelligence said in the report.Onion prices stayed elevated as higher-priced stored rabi stocks reached the market. Supplies were also hit after unseasonal rain and hailstorms in Maharashtra during March and April damaged the late-season crop and stored stocks.Vegetable oil and LPG prices, meanwhile, rose amid supply disruptions and higher energy prices linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict, the report said.However, lower prices of potatoes and tomatoes helped limit the overall rise in thali costs. Potato prices were 12 per cent lower than a year ago, while tomato prices fell 2 per cent.Potato prices eased after rabi production rose 2-3 per cent, helped by higher acreage. Tomato prices remained lower because planting was delayed and market arrivals were higher in July, according to the report.The vegetarian thali became 2 per cent more expensive in July compared with June. Onion prices jumped 23 per cent during the month, while potato prices rose 4 per cent.A 1 per cent fall in tomato prices and stable prices of other items, however, helped keep the increase in check.The non-vegetarian thali, meanwhile, cost the same in July as it did in June. Broiler chicken prices are estimated to have fallen 2 per cent during the month as demand moderated. This helped offset the impact of higher prices of the other ingredients, the report said.Get the latest Business News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.