Potato Price Drop Slashes Thali Cost – Relief Hits October

Vegetarian thali price fell from ₹28.1 in September to ₹27.8 in October, a 1% drop. Potato, onion, and tomato prices drove the change, with mandi arrivals up. Non-veg thali cost dropped by 3% over the previous month as broiler prices eased (Crisil, Informist).

Potato production increased by 3-4% in 2024-25 rabi season. Higher stocks, strong Rabi arrivals, and cold storage supply helped reduce mandi rates. Onion and tomato stocks surged, supporting continued price falls (Crisil, Informist). Traders offloaded Rabi produce expecting Kharif harvests, keeping supply tight till mid-November.

Urban and rural food inflation remains in negative territory. Lower thali prices boosted household meal affordability. Consumer demand for potatoes and other vegetables held steady. Broiler consumption dipped slightly as prices fell. The festival season lifted edible oil demand but did not affect core veggies.

lowest impact: Azadpur Mandi, Delhi, price, cold storage release ups supply | highest impact: Pimpalgaon Mandi, Maharashtra, price, low arrivals boost rate | stable: Kanpur Mandi, Uttar Pradesh, price, balanced stocks limit swings

Government subsidized LPG cylinders to ₹903, reducing cooking costs. Export slowdown for onions helped keep vegetable prices low. GST rate rationalization supports prognosis for stable inflation. No major direct new potato subsidy declared for October. Farmers can apply for Minimum Support Price schemes and cold storage incentives currently open via state portals (Ministry of Agriculture).