New Delhi: Big fat weddings, iftar parties, five-star hotel menus-tight supplies of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) due to the Gulf war are disrupting all manner of occasions. Hotels, caterers and banquet halls are scrambling to secure additional cylinders, paying steep premiums or shifting to alternative fuels to keep things on track, while others say they are cutting back on elaborate menus.
“Wedding plans for the next few months are being disrupted as people are anxious that the shortage could well run into April and beyond,” said Anand Shahani, cofounder and chief executive of premium wedding planner platform WedMeGood. “However, for weddings that have already been fixed and guests invited, people are willing to pay significant mark-ups on the cost for LPG cylinders, as they don’t want to postpone or cancel elaborate preparations.”
The economics of a wedding are not comparable to that of a restaurant meal.
“Unlike going out for a meal, a wedding event is once in a lifetime event for families,” he said. “Hence, scaling these down is not an option for many.”
April is one of the most auspicious months as per the Hindu calendar. India’s annual wedding industry is pegged at more than $130 billion, according to a recent report by investment banking firm Jefferies. And, with Ramadan having begun on February 19, this is the season for iftars, ahead of Eid on March 21-22, depending on the sighting of the moon.
“As we speak, I am trying to organise cylinders for a pre-planned luxury wedding. We are seeing so many cancellations,” said Udit Sabharwal, founder of Salthouse Catering Services, a luxury wedding and event catering company. “How can anyone cook Indian cuisines such as dal makhani which are in high demand without gas cylinders?”
The West Asia conflict has disrupted global energy supply routes. Most of India’s LPG imports come from the region. To be sure, the government has assured adequate LPG supplies. It has said that home consumption will be prioritised.
“We are not able to commit to wedding contracts,” said Kirit Budhdev, general secretary, Federation of All India Caterers. “For outdoor events of 400-500 people, we need at least 10-12 cylinders and our members are not even able to source one.”
With 90% of the catering business dependent on LPG, wedding functions are being called off and community meals at temples being scrapped. “This is a pan-India issue,” Budhdev said.
Executives at five-star hotels said they are pressing for more cold items in lunch and dinner buffets, restricting menus and moving to charcoal-based cooking, while working closely with suppliers to implement practical alternatives to optimise solutions.
The shortages are being highlighted across sectors, even schools.
A notification by Shriram School, Gurgaon, addressed to parents said the school’s caterer “will not be able to procure the required quantity of LPG, to run the school’s lunch and snacks programmes.” It asked parents to make alternate arrangements for next week.
