In India, demand for traditional fuels, in particular firewood and dried cow dung, is growing amid an acute shortage of LPG.
The reason for the crisis is the disruption of LPG supplies through the Strait of Hormuz amid the war in the Middle East. Reuters and other outlets have reported that India, which relies on imports for about 65 per cent of its cooking fuel, is facing one of its worst gas problems in decades, with authorities already limiting industrial consumption to prioritise supply to households.
Amid the scarcity, Indian media is recording the return of some households and small businesses to cheaper and more affordable fuels. In particular, Times of India writes about the switch to coal, firewood and paraffin in Jamshedpur, while Bloomberg points to the growth of biofuel sales.
According to the Times of India, commercial consumers in a number of Indian cities have seen the price of LPG rise sharply and supplies have either been cut or partly gone to the black market. This has already led to rising costs in restaurants, bakeries and small retailers, and some businesses have been forced to look for alternatives to gas.