Ranchi: Commercial kitchens across Ranchi faced another cost shock on Monday as the price of a 19-kg LPG cylinder was raised by Rs 53.50, putting fresh pressure on restaurants, caterers, food stalls, and small businesses already dealing with rising fuel expenses.
Price Details
Officials of the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Jharkhand division, confirmed that the commercial LPG cylinder price in Ranchi increased from Rs 3,250.50 to Rs 3,304 effective Monday. Additionally, the price of 5-kg free trade LPG cylinders stands at Rs 821.50 after a national increase of Rs 11.
Traders noted that the hike will particularly affect small commercial users who rely on smaller cylinders.
Impact on Food Businesses
For many food businesses, absorbing the increase has become challenging. Restaurant owners stated that fuel now constitutes one of the largest components of kitchen expenses after raw materials and staff wages. Several eateries, especially smaller establishments, are restructuring menus to manage costs.
“Earlier, we removed several items, especially Chinese dishes that consume more gas due to grilling and longer cooking time, from the menu. Customers won’t support high prices of dishes on offer, but our kitchen cost keeps rising every few months,” said Amit Sahu, who runs a fast-food outlet at Dangra Toli.
Owners of dhabas and tea-snack counters reported that commercial LPG has become significantly more expensive over the past year, leaving them with little room to maintain margins.
Broader Effects
The impact extends beyond restaurants. Sweet shop owners in Ranchi said they are already facing the brunt of repeated commercial LPG price hikes, as most of their production—from boiling milk and preparing sugar syrup to frying snacks and sweets—runs on gas throughout the day.
Dilip Das, a small bakery operator at Albert Ekka Chowk, said, “Oven and heating costs have risen steadily. With fuel expenses climbing alongside raw material prices, profit margins are shrinking while raising prices further risks losing customers.”
