LPG shortage disrupts wedding catering industry in AP

Vijayawada: The shortage of LPG cylinders, triggered by disruptions linked to the conflict involving Iran, is beginning to affect the catering industry across Andhra Pradesh at a crucial time. With the peak wedding season and the upcoming Ugadi festival, caterers say they are struggling to secure enough cooking gas to prepare large-scale feasts.In Telugu weddings, sumptuous food is considered one of the most important elements of the celebration. Families often plan elaborate menus with dozens of traditional dishes to welcome guests. However, many catering companies say the ongoing LPG shortage is forcing them to either scale down operations or temporarily suspend services. Industry members say several caterers have already stopped accepting new bookings due to uncertainty over gas supplies. Others began turning to traditional wood-fired stoves to continue their operations, but the method comes with its own challenges.Cooking on firewood stoves is a slow and labour-intensive process compared to LPG-based cooking. Preparing large quantities of food for hundreds of guests takes much longer, making it difficult to manage tight wedding schedules.Another challenge is the shortage of experienced chefs who know how to cook a wide variety of dishes using firewood stoves. Many modern cooks are trained in gas-based cooking systems. As a result, a few senior chefs who still possess the traditional expertise suddenly became highly sought after.Noted caterer Pujari Ramanjaneyulu said the situation created serious operational difficulties. "In Telugu weddings, guests expect a rich spread of dishes. Without adequate LPG supply, it becomes extremely challenging to prepare food on time. Firewood cooking takes longer and requires experienced chefs who are now in high demand," he explained.Families planning weddings are also feeling the impact. L Sai Mahesh, who is preparing for his wedding soon, said finding a caterer is becoming unexpectedly difficult."We finalised our wedding date months ago, but now many caterers are refusing bookings because of the gas shortage. It has become stressful to arrange everything just weeks before the ceremony," he said.Caterers and event organisers are hoping that LPG supplies will normalise soon to prevent further disruption during the busy wedding and festival season.