Firewood prices have risen sharply as higher cooking-gas costs and delays in cylinder availability push more households towards traditional stoves, according to a report by Gujarat Samachar’s Ahmedabad edition. The price of 20 kilograms of firewood has increased from about Rs 100-120 to Rs 140-150 during the current season.
The report said demand for firewood has increased not only in rural and remote areas but also in cities, where some households are using it as an alternative cooking fuel. The increase is being linked to the rising cost of domestic LPG cylinders and the difficulty faced by some families in arranging timely refills.
For middle-class and working-class households, the shift has added pressure to already stretched monthly budgets. The report said some families have cylinders at home but are unable to afford regular refills, making firewood a substitute despite the additional cost and effort involved in using traditional stoves.
Firewood had previously been used primarily in villages and rural areas, but the report said its use has begun expanding among urban households as cooking gas becomes more expensive. Local sources cited in the report attributed the change to irregular availability through gas agencies as well as broader inflationary pressure.
The price increase represents a rise of roughly Rs 20-50 for every 20 kilograms compared with the earlier rate. The report said the sudden increase in demand could put further upward pressure on firewood prices in the coming days, although no official market forecast or government response was cited.
The development points to the immediate consequences of household fuel affordability problems: when a cleaner and more convenient cooking fuel becomes difficult to obtain or pay for, families may return to older alternatives. The report did not provide figures on the number of households affected, changes in LPG supply volumes or the health and environmental impact of increased firewood use. Further movement in firewood prices and any response from gas agencies or local authorities remain the next developments to watch.
