Kerala Caterers Protest LPG Price Hike Amid Festival Season

The All Kerala Caterers Association (AKCA) held protests in all 14 districts of Kerala on Friday, demanding the rollback of the recent ₹993 per cylinder hike in commercial cooking gas prices, which came into effect on May 1. According to AKCA State president A.J. Zachariah, the hike has caused significant losses for catering units, with small-scale establishments facing daily losses of around ₹2,000 and medium-scale establishments facing losses of nearly ₹5,000.

The protests were staged in front of the zonal office of Indian Oil Corporation at Panampilly Nagar in Kochi, where AKCA leaders, including patron Badusha Kadalundi and vice president P.V. Mohandas, addressed the gathering and highlighted the plight of the catering industry.

The sudden price hike has exacerbated the existing struggles of the catering sector, which was already dealing with an LPG shortage triggered by the West Asia crisis.

The AKCA has demanded that the Centre restore the regulatory authority to control fuel prices, which was dissolved by the Narendra Modi-led government. The association has also called for an end to the practice of oil companies deciding fuel price hikes on their own.

The court has not been involved in this matter, but the Kerala government is expected to respond to the protests and demands made by the AKCA. The association will continue to press for a resolution to the crisis, with further protests and meetings planned in the coming days.