Hyderabad wood prices double amid LPG shortage
HYDERABAD: A shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders has forced many hotels and function halls in the city to shift to firewood cooking, pushing up demand for cooking wood at timber depots.
Traders say prices have surged sharply in recent days. A quintal of firewood, which earlier sold for ₹1,000 to ₹1,200, is now selling for nearly ₹2,000.
Transport limits and supply shortages push up prices
Heavy demand has led to long queues at timber depots across the city. Traders say supply has not kept pace with demand due to transport costs and restrictions on moving firewood within city limits.
Firewood that earlier sold at about ₹10 per kg is now priced at ₹12, while some traders are charging up to ₹20 per kg.
“Firewood demand has risen sharply. Supply is not matching demand, so prices are increasing. If gas shortages continue, prices may rise further,” said Mohammed Khaja, a firewood trader in Suraram.
Weddings and hostels face cooking challenges
The LPG shortage has also affected wedding events and function halls during the ongoing marriage season.
Families that booked function halls earlier are struggling to arrange gas cylinders. Many organisers have been forced to switch to firewood stoves.
However, cooks accustomed to gas stoves are reluctant to work on traditional firewood stoves. They say managing firewood and cleaning soot-covered vessels is difficult.
Smoke trouble in hotels and hostels
Hotels, restaurants and hostels running in multi-storey buildings are facing additional problems. Cooking with firewood in lower floors fills upper floors with smoke, residents say.
Some establishments with open spaces have shifted cooking outdoors, while others are considering temporary closure.
LPG shortage hits Osmania University hostels
The crisis has also affected hostels at Osmania University (OU).
Around 20 hostels accommodate nearly 8,000 to 10,000 students. Earlier, each hostel received four commercial cylinders daily. With supply disrupted due to the Iran–Israel–United States conflict, they now receive only two cylinders a day.
Hostel kitchens have been told to use LPG only for frying, while rice and curries are cooked on firewood stoves.
Cooks say cooking three meals daily for thousands of students on firewood stoves is slow and difficult, leading to delays in serving food.
“We are cooking on firewood due to gas shortages. Since there is no space near the hotel, we cook at home and bring the food. Earlier firewood cost about ₹8 per kg. Now it is selling for over ₹20,” said Kishore, who runs Poorna Mess.
