New Delhi, April 7 -- In some relief for the common man, the cost of a home-cooked vegetarian thali declined 3% year-on-year (y-o-y), while that of non-vegetarian thali remained flat on year in March, according to the Crisil Roti Rice Rate (RRR) report. The average cost of preparing a thali at home is calculated based on input prices prevailing in north, south, east and west India.

The year-on-year decline in the cost of vegetarian thali was due to a sharp dip in tomato prices. Tomato prices declined 34% on year to Rs.21 per kg in March 2025 from Rs.32 per kg in March 2024. The arrival of the tomato crop across the country rose 29%. The increase was mainly in the southern states, which had robust rabi crops due to increased acreage and b...