In order to continue their businesses, hotel operators are largely rushing to firewood depots in large numbers. Taking advantage of the increased demand, firewood traders have sharply raised the prices. Firewood that was earlier available at around ₹3,300 per tonne is now being sold for nearly ₹4,500 per tonne.

With no other option, many hotel owners have begun cooking on wood-fired stoves.
Industry sources said as long as LPG had been available, prices of other fuels remained stable. The sudden shortage of cooking gas has pushed hotel owners and business establishments to explore alternatives, such as firewood, groundnut shells, rice husk, and charcoal.

Items like rice husk and groundnut shells had earlier been used mainly by small snack-processing units producing items like roasted gram and puffed rice. These are now being opted for in bulk by hotels, leading to a sharp increase in their rates.

The shift in cooking fuels is particularly visible along the Bengaluru-Hyderabad National Highway, which passes through districts of Sri Sathya Sai, Anantapur and Kurnool. Thousands of roadside dhabas that operate along this highway are using alternative fuels for catering to the needs of travellers and transporters.

A hotel owner from Kurnool pointed out that installing traditional firewood stoves requires space and infrastructure, which is not feasible for all establishments.
Rise in Prices of Traditional Cooking Fuels