Bengaluru: The shortage of commercial LPG, triggered by the ongoing crisis in West Asia, has begun to take a deeper toll on Bengaluru’s food ecosystem, with chicken shops reporting sharp losses and limited offerings. While the supply crunch has affected eateries for nearly two weeks, its impact was felt more acutely Friday — a traditionally high-demand day for non-vegetarian food during Ugadi (Hosatodaku) — leaving many customers disappointed.Chicken vendors across the city said short supply of LPG has forced them not to prepare certain varieties, particularly ‘naati koli’ (country chicken) and skin-on chicken, both of which require sustained flame for proper cleaning and roasting. In the absence of adequate LPG supply, many shops have temporarily stopped selling these items, restricting their menus to skinless chicken.“For the past 15 days, we have stopped selling country chicken, and even skin chicken is unavailable,” said Prathap, a chicken shop owner in Chandapura. “We are struggling to get LPG cylinders at any cost. Today (Friday), which should have been a big business day, turned out to be very bad for us.”Vendors explained that country chicken requires intense flame to singe off feathers and clean the meat, while skin-on chicken must be thoroughly roasted to remove impurities and ensure hygiene — making LPG essential for daily operations.Attaulla Sharaff, who runs a shop near Lalbagh Main Gate, said the situation has worsened as existing gas stocks have run out. “We have not received commercial LPG for almost 15 days. People mostly prefer skin chicken and when we don’t have it, they simply walk away. We have lost nearly 40% of our customers,” he said.A vendor from Kabalamma Chicken Centre in JP Nagar said the shortage is steadily hurting business: “I am not selling country chicken because I don’t have LPG supply.”The shortage has also disrupted consumer plans. Muniraju Reddy, a resident of BTM Layout, said he had to visit multiple shops before opting for an alternative. “My father wanted ‘naati koli saaru’ Friday, but many shops were not selling country chicken, citing LPG shortage. Even skin chicken wasn’t available. With no options left, I had to order regular skinless chicken online,” he said.
