Home-cooked non-vegetarian thali turned cheaper by 3 pct in Feb

The cost of a homecooked vegetarian veg thali was flat onyear in the month of February while a nonvegetarian nonveg thali declined 3 per cent a Crisil Intelligence report showed on FridayDespite a decline in the prices of onion potato and pulses the cost of a veg thali remained stable as tomato prices rose sharply it addedOnion prices fell 24 per cent onyear due to an influx of late kharif onions while limited shelf life forced immediate market disposal amid subdued exportsPotato prices fell 13 per cent onyear as the crop has entered peak harvest phase coinciding with continued liquidation of cold storage stock from the previous rabi season Pulse prices declined 9 per cent onyear on account of higher opening stocks in the current fiscalThe average cost of preparing a thali at home is calculated based on input prices prevailing in north south east and west India The monthly change reflects the impact on the common manrsquos expenditureThe cost of a nonveg thali fell due to an estimated 7 per cent onyear decline in broiler prices which account for 50 per cent of the cost on a high baseldquoTomato prices surged due to delayed transplantation which impacted crop development and yields This was reflected in a 32 per cent onyear decline in crop arrivals in mandis between November 2025 and January 2026rdquo said Pushan Sharma director Crisil IntelligenceVegetable prices are expected to soften in the near term Tomato prices will likely remain higher onyear until midApril and then firm up as seasonal arrivals tighten and the market transitions between crop cyclesldquoPotato prices will likely stay subdued through MarchApril during the peak arrival season while onion prices may face pressure over the next two to three months unless exports pick up meaningfullyrdquo said SharmaThe Middle East uncertainties and potential trade disruptions may soften demand for basmati rice in the near term exerting downward pressure on pricesAs Iran accounts for nearly 18 per cent of Indiarsquos basmati rice exports and other Middle Eastern countries for 5560 per cent exporters are cautious about potential logistical challengesldquoHowever nonbasmati rice exports primarily destined for African countries are unlikely to be affected significantlyrdquo said SharmaThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever