There’s no escaping price increases, even for budget-friendly household favorites like curry rice.
According to a survey by research firm Teikoku Databank, the cost of making a bowl of curry rice at home hit a record ¥342 in July, up ¥44 from the same period last year. The reason for this was the rising cost of ingredients and utility bills.
The survey published Tuesday found that the total cost of preparing curry rice exceeded ¥300 for the 12th consecutive month and is expected to exceed ¥350 per serving in August.
Teikoku Databank’s curry rice price index, based on the total price of the dish, sets the average for 2020 at 100. The index for July was 124.8, up 14.7% from the same month last year.
It was the first time since 2015 that the index rose more than 10% year-on-year, indicating how households are being hit by rising prices. It was also the 14th consecutive month of year-on-year gains.
The rising price of rice pushed up the total cost of preparing the dish. A single serving of rice cost ¥101, up ¥14 from the same month last year, making it the highest price in the past decade.
The cost of meat and vegetables, which account for about 60% of the total price of curry rice, was ¥211, up ¥28 from the same month last year.
The price of curry roux and energy bills for using a rice cooker or gas stove did not increase significantly over the same period.
The Department of Agriculture’s vegetable price trends for this month showed potatoes and onions “remained above the year-to-date average.”
With rice prices expected to remain high, Teikoku Databank’s curry rice price index is expected to remain at a record high this month This was also evident from the research.
