Home-cooked meals became dearer in September compared to a year ago as prices of onion, potato and tomatoes shot up, a report said on Friday.

A vegetarian meal cost went up 11 per cent over year to Rs 31.3 in September from Rs 28.1 in September 2023, and inched up from Rs 31.2 in the preceding August, as per the report by domestic rating agency Crisil.

Attributing the rise to firming up in the vegetable prices that account for 37 per cent of a thali cost, the "roti, rice, rate" report elaborated on the factors affecting the overall cost.

"Prices of onion, potato and tomato rose 53 per cent, 50 per cent and 18 per cent on-year, respectively, in September because of lower onion and potato arrivals, while heavy rainfall impacted tomato output in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra," it explained.

Prices of pulses jumped 14 per cent on year due a drop in production, while fuel dropped 11 per cent due to a price cut earlier in the year, the report said.

In the case of a non-vegetarian thali, the meal cost dropped by 2 per cent on year to Rs 59.3 on a 13 per cent decline in broiler prices which have a 50 per cent weightage.

A non-veg meal cost, which also includes the payouts on vegetables but dal gets replaced with broiler, was flat compared to the rate in August, the report said.

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