Onion, chicken prices make home-cooked meals costlier in July: Report

The cost of preparing a home-cooked vegetarian thali rose 4% year-on-year in July, while a non-vegetarian thali became 9% more expensive, driven by higher prices of onions, vegetable oil and cooking gas, along with a sharp increase in chicken prices, according to a Crisil Intelligence report released on Friday.

The report attributed the rise in the cost of a vegetarian meal primarily to a 20% jump in onion prices compared with a year ago. Vegetable oil prices rose 11%, while LPG cylinder prices increased 10%, adding to household cooking costs.

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For a non-vegetarian thali, the increase was steeper as broiler chicken prices climbed 14% year-on-year. Crisil noted that broiler chicken accounts for nearly half the cost of a non-vegetarian meal, amplifying the impact of higher input costs.

According to the report, onion prices remained elevated due to the arrival of higher-priced stored rabi stocks. Supplies were further constrained after unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms in Maharashtra during March and April damaged the late-season crop and affected stored inventories.

The report also attributed the increase in vegetable oil and LPG prices to supply disruptions and elevated energy prices linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

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The rise in meal costs, however, was partly offset by lower prices of potatoes and tomatoes. Potato prices fell 12% from a year earlier following a 2-3% increase in rabi production supported by higher acreage, while tomato prices declined 2% due to delayed planting and improved market arrivals in July.

On a month-on-month basis, the cost of a vegetarian thali increased 2% in July, mainly because onion prices surged 23% and potato prices rose 4%. A 1% decline in tomato prices, along with stable prices of other ingredients, helped limit the overall increase.

The cost of a non-vegetarian thali remained unchanged from June, as an estimated 2% decline in broiler chicken prices, driven by softer demand, offset the impact of higher prices of other ingredients, the report said.