Cooking gas crisis shuts half of T’puram’s catering units

Thiruvananthapuram: Half of Thiruvananthapuram's catering units have shut down amid a cooking gas crisis triggered by supply disruptions following the Iran–US conflict, severely hitting the city's event and food sector. According to the All Kerala Catering Association, 250 of around 500 registered units in the district have ceased operations, including nearly 150 small-scale establishments. The rest are struggling to stay afloat under rising costs and deepening uncertainty. Association president V Sunukumar pointed to a sharp spike in LPG prices and the emergence of a black market. "A commercial cylinder that cost around Rs 2,000 is now being sold for Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500. Agencies have stockpiled cylinders and middlemen are diverting supplies and selling them at inflated rates. This is not sustainable," he said. To cope, several units have shifted to firewood, but that option is proving equally unviable. Firewood prices have more than doubled, from Rs 6 per piece to Rs 13–15. "Most kitchens and convention centres are designed for gas-based cooking. Switching to wood requires infrastructure changes, and food safety norms may soon mandate proper setups, pushing costs even higher," Sunukumar added. The crisis has also triggered a workforce exodus and many employees have left for more stable jobs. "What we have now are permanent cooking staff earning above Rs 45,000 a month. We cannot let them go, but we are paying salaries, rent and vehicle expenses with little to no work coming in," he said. Arshad M, who has run a catering service in the city for over a decade and serves as general secretary of the association, said he never imagined a distant war would upend his livelihood so completely. "I have stopped taking advance bookings because there is no clarity on gas availability. Cylinders are technically available, but middlemen with links to agencies have taken control and are selling them at inflated prices. We are forced to either buy at those rates or shut down," he said. He also cautioned that relief will not come quickly. "Even if the conflict ends today, it will take at least four months for supply chains to stabilise. Until then, we cannot plan or take risks with new bookings," Arshad said. The impact is already visible at weddings and social functions across the city. Caterer Vijayakumar B said menus have been significantly trimmed. "Live counters for items like dosa and appam have been cancelled—they consume more gas and need extra manpower. Clients are adjusting to smaller menus as costs keep rising," he said.