2 months ago
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The worsening Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) shortage successful the aftermath of the ongoing West Asia conflict has triggered a abrupt surge successful request for firewood, with sawmills and plywood factories reporting a flood of inquiries contempt rising prices.
With the proviso of commercialized cylinders astir drying up — forcing the closure of much than 100 hotels successful Kochi unsocial — those inactive operating person pared down menus and moving hours portion exploring alternate substance sources. Samridhi@Kochi, a fund eatery concatenation tally jointly by the Kochi Corporation and Kudumbashree Mission, switched to firewood connected Friday (March 13, 2026) aft exhausting its past reserve of LPG cylinders.
“We necessitate up to 1.5 tonnes of firewood astatine our cardinal kitchen, costing astir ₹6,000 including transportation. Cooking is besides considerably slower compared to LPG,” said sources astatine Samridhi. Going by the feedback from the ground, astatine slightest a conception of home consumers are looking for firewood arsenic a imaginable screen successful lawsuit LPG situation worsens.
Deepak Patel, who runs a sawmill successful Thoppumpady, said helium has been inundated with inquiries though helium continues to proviso lone 1 afloat load to a long-time dealer. “We are chiefly engaged successful supplying timber for furnishings and not successful the firewood trade. Still, I americium receiving 5 oregon six inquiries a day,” helium said.
The tonnage terms of firewood has already risen by ₹500 and whitethorn ascent further if the LPG situation worsens. Firewood, erstwhile disposable for little than ₹3,000 a tonne, was mostly confined to concern boilers, considering the ubiquitous LPG connections successful the State, too being sold arsenic woodchips to factories successful Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Hameed Shah, who has supplied 5 tonnes of firewood to Samridhi from his Thrissur sawmill, noted that plywood factories are facing labour shortages arsenic migrant workers from Assam and Odisha person returned location for electoral rotation revision. “With request surging, tree-cutting workers whitethorn besides hike wages, which could propulsion prices further. Residents adjacent plywood factories are already arriving successful tiny vehicles to cod firewood,” helium said.
Mujeeb Rahman, president of the Sawmill Owners and Plywood Manufacturers Association, however, maintained that availability would not beryllium an issue. “Every Malayali household has astatine slightest 2 cylinders, truthful determination is nary crushed for panic. Even if request rises, we tin conscionable it by restricting proviso to industries,” helium said.
