January delivered relief at the dining table, with Crisil Intelligence noting a 1% annual decline in home-made veg thali costs and 7% for non-veg. The story behind the numbers? Plummeting prices for onions, potatoes, and pulses.
Onion prices nosedived 27%, propped by excess stocks and export slowdowns. Potatoes dropped 23%, shedding the weight of last year’s high base from weak yields. Pulses fell 14%, aided by import surges including ninefold Bengal gram, 85% more yellow peas, and 31% extra black chickpeas—set to continue until March 2026.
Countering this, tomatoes jumped 50% to Rs 46/kg on 39% less supply. Edible oils rose 4% amid soybean shortages worldwide, and LPG costs grew 6%, limiting net savings.
‘Veg thali costs softened on ample onions, potatoes, and pulses, but tomatoes and fuels held back full relief,’ said Crisil’s Pushpan Sharma. With fiscal year stocks on the mend, this could herald a calmer phase for food expenses, benefiting millions of households nationwide.