Kolkata's Food Sector Sees Partial LPG Relief Amid Ongoing Supply Challenges
In a move providing some respite to Kolkata's food industry, oil marketing companies have initiated the release of 25% of commercial LPG cylinders, effective from Sunday. This decision comes as a response to the gradual stabilization of domestic cylinder queues in the city, following the resumption of the IVRS booking system, which has also reduced the time gap between booking and delivery.
Industry Response and Persistent Shortages
Industry officials indicate that this partial release was made possible after domestic supply showed signs of improvement. Bijon Bihari Biswas, spokesperson for LPG dealers, confirmed, "The oil marketing companies have started releasing 25% of the commercial gas in the city." Despite this development, food businesses express concerns that the limited supply falls short of meeting their operational needs.
Rajesh Agarwal, a local restaurant owner, highlighted the ongoing struggle, stating, "Though the supply has resumed, we are getting fewer cylinders than what's needed." Street food vendors, in particular, face severe hardships due to lack of storage facilities and financial buffers. Suman Das, a vendor at Esplanade, shared how he had to discontinue certain menu items, while Zubair near New Market noted that customers might switch to competitors if dishes are unavailable.
Price Hikes and Escalating Demand
Compounding the supply issues, the price of commercial LPG cylinders has surged, with a 19 kg cylinder seeing an increase of Rs 114.5. Industry data reveals a sharp rise in demand during the supply disruption period. For instance, bookings for Indian Oil Corporation cylinders reached approximately 3 lakh on March 5, escalating to around 3.5 lakh across all suppliers by March 9. The cumulative booking figure skyrocketed from about 3.9 lakh to over 7.5 lakh during this timeframe, with March 11 figures showing 5.9 lakh for IOC and 7.5 lakh for all suppliers. Officials estimate that daily cylinder demand in Bengal stands at about 2.5 lakh, underscoring the persistent gap between supply and needs.
