Relief for households: Cost of veg thali drops 10%, non-veg thali 6% as food inflation cools in Sept

After months of high grocery bills, households may finally be seeing some relief. A new report from Crisil Market Intelligence and Analytics shows that the average cost of a vegetarian thali fell by 10% year-on-year in September 2025, while the cost of a non-vegetarian thali declined by around 6%. The fall, driven by easing vegetable and pulse prices, reflects the broader trend of moderating food inflation across India.

According to Crisil’s data, the average cost of a vegetarian thali stood at Rs 26.30 in September, compared with Rs 29.10 a year earlier. The non-vegetarian thali cost fell to Rs 52.60 from Rs 56 in the same period. The thali cost, calculated using average ingredient prices across the north, south, east, and west of India, offers an indicative measure of household food expenditure trends.

“The decline in the cost of the vegetarian thali was led by a sharp drop in prices of vegetables and pulses,” the Crisil report said.

Vegetable prices fall

Vegetable prices — a key driver of the thali cost — recorded the sharpest corrections. Onion prices plunged 46% year-on-year, driven by abundant Rabi arrivals and increased domestic availability. The report noted that a slowdown in onion exports to Bangladesh, which accounts for about 40% of India’s onion shipments, also helped cool prices.

Similarly, potato prices dropped 31% as cold storage units released older stocks in bulk, while tomato prices fell 8% due to higher market arrivals. On a monthly basis, tomato prices slid another 21% in September, falling to Rs 42 per kg from Rs 53, thanks to increased supplies from western and southern states.

Pulses cheaper

Prices of pulses fell 16% year-on-year, aided by government measures allowing imports of Bengal gram, yellow pea, and black gram till March 2026. These imports have improved domestic supply and eased pressure on prices.

However, the fall in overall food costs was partially offset by a 21% surge in vegetable oil prices and a 6% rise in LPG cylinder rates, both driven by festive demand.

Pushan Sharma, Director at Crisil Market Intelligence, cautioned that the current low price trend may not last.

“Onion prices could see a moderate increase in the medium term as excess rainfall in August and September in key states like Karnataka and Maharashtra has delayed kharif transplantation and raised yield concerns,” Sharma said.

He added that tomato prices may also firm up during the festive season due to rain-related disruptions in major growing belts.

Non-Veg thali sees milder impact

While lower vegetable and pulse prices supported a decline in non-vegetarian thali costs, the fall was muted at around 6% because broiler chicken prices, which make up about half the thali cost, dropped only 1% year-on-year.

On a monthly basis, the vegetarian thali became 3% cheaper in September, but the non-vegetarian thali cost rose 3% compared to August due to a 10% jump in broiler prices, triggered by supply constraints and lower production.

Breather with risks

With inflation easing to multi-month lows, the fall in thali costs suggests early signs of comfort for Indian households after months of price pressure. Yet, experts warn that weather disruptions, festival demand, and global commodity trends could influence prices in the coming months.

For now, though, the data signals a small but meaningful reprieve — a lighter bill for the average Indian kitchen.