As commercial LPG cylinders run scarce across parts of India, restaurants and tea shops are turning to firewood, charcoal, and electric stoves to keep kitchens running, even as the government prioritises household supply.
A shortage of cooking gas cylinders is beginning to affect daily life in several Indian cities, with restaurants, bakeries, and small eateries cutting down operations or shifting to alternative cooking methods such as firewood and electric stoves.
The problem stems from disruptions in global fuel supply chains linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia. India relies heavily on imports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and refined crude derivatives from countries including Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. With supply routes under strain, the availability of commercial LPG cylinders has tightened sharply.
Government officials have said domestic households will receive priority access to LPG. Following this, gas companies have reportedly slowed or paused the production of commercial cylinders so that domestic demand can be met.
As a result, restaurants and tea stalls in cities such as Chennai are finding it increasingly difficult to get LPG cylinders. Many kitchens have been running on whatever stock they had left for the past few days, while some have already shut temporarily after their supplies ran out.
In several eateries, the regular spread of dishes has been cut down sharply. Where lunch menus typically include items such as poriyal, sambar, aviyal, rasam, and multiple gravies, many restaurants are currently serving only one gravy and a single chutney.
Notices informing customers about the restricted menu have appeared outside several establishments. Some kitchens have switched to simple dishes such as tomato rice, tamarind rice and lemon rice, which require less fuel to prepare.
A few non-vegetarian restaurants have stopped making omelettes, while tea shops have halted the preparation of snacks like vada and bajji. In areas such as Nungambakkam and Egmore in Chennai, some restaurants have begun cooking using charcoal, firewood or electric stoves.
The sudden shift has also pushed up the demand for firewood. Restaurant owners say the price of firewood has increased by Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 per tonne in recent days.
Hospitality sector warns of prolonged disruption
Industry groups say the problem may not ease immediately. According to the Coimbatore District Hoteliers’ Association, restaurants across the country have been facing difficulties for more than a week due to limited LPG supplies.
“For the past 10–12 days, the whole nation has been facing LPG shortage issues, and our city is facing the same problem. We have no fuel to run the restaurant. The whole of India is troubled by this LPG shortage,” Balachandar Raju, Secretary of the Coimbatore District Hoteliers’ Association, told ANI.
He said the association had approached both the state and central governments, seeking intervention, as hotels rely heavily on LPG cylinders for everyday operations.
According to Raju, officials have indicated that domestic consumers and essential services have been given priority in the current supply situation.
“The government needs to intervene and ensure the supply of LPG for the basic needs of people. We have presented this issue to both the Tamil Nadu government and the central government. Our association has met with ministers to discuss the problem. They have stated that they won’t be able to supply commercial cylinders for commercial purposes and have prioritised domestic use, as well as for hospitals, educational sectors, and crematoriums,” he added.
Raju also warned that the disruption could continue for several weeks because imported shipments and refinery processes take time.
“We hope the issue will be rectified soon. Even though the vessels start from the port now, it might take another 20 days to sail and reach our country. Then, there is a process of converting crude oil to LPG, which will take another week’s time. We expect to face this issue for another 30 days,” he said.
Government prioritises household LPG supply
The Union government has invoked the Essential Commodities Act to ensure a steady supply of LPG for households and essential services.
Oil refineries have been instructed to increase LPG output and divert additional production towards domestic consumption, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said.
“In light of current geopolitical disruptions to fuel supply and constraints on the supply of LPG, the Ministry has issued orders to oil refineries for higher LPG production and using such extra production for domestic LPG use,” the ministry said in a statement on X.
The government has also introduced a 25-day inter-booking period for LPG consumers to prevent hoarding and black marketing.
Meanwhile, industry bodies have cautioned that unless commercial cylinder supplies improve soon, many hotels and small eateries could face severe operational disruptions.
