The recent increase in the price of LPG gas cylinders by Rs 105 has hit the restaurant industry and more so the street-food vendors hard. Even as the hospitality industry is recovering from business loss after COVID's third wave, the fresh gas price hike has come as a new problem for them.
Even as small eateries are trying to make some money after the third wave, the hike in LPG price and oil by 20 percent has left them in deep trouble. To handle the crisis, the owners are forced to reduce staff, which means unemployment for those who most need the jobs.
The present rise in commercial cylinders is due to the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war and the hoteliers in the city say they don’t know when the price hikes will reduce. However, they say, the loss will be passed on to the customers and that the prices of food will definitely increase. B Jagadish Rao, secretary, Telangana Hotels Association, wonders if there will increase in the prices of essential commodities too in near future.
Meanwhile, the street stall vendors are a worried lot. One street stall owner says after facing the closure of business due to the pandemic and travel restrictions, they have been able to breathe only now. However, despite the increase in prices, they cannot suddenly increase the prices on their menu as the customers will not be happy.