Ranchi: After months of soaring fuel bills and trimmed operations, restaurants and eateries in the city heaved a sigh of relief with the decrease of Rs 173 in commercial LPG price.Operators said they are planning to restore curtailed menus, increase batch cooking and revive promotional offerings that had taken a back seat due to high fuel costs triggered by the West Asia conflict.After the recent cut, the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder in Ranchi has gone down to Rs 3,131 from Rs 3,304. The price stood at Rs 2,038 in March before climbing to Rs 2,256 in April and going up further in subsequent revisions.Restaurant owners said the reduction has come as a welcome respite, though current prices remain significantly higher than earlier this year.“We welcome the reduction in commercial LPG price because fuel is one of the major operational costs for the food industry. However, the most sustainable price range for businesses was around Rs 2,000 per cylinder, which allowed better cost planning and pricing stability,” said Navjot Alang, joint secretary of the Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries, who operates a chain of restaurants in the city.He said that restaurants still continue to grapple with multiple challenges, including rising costs of vegetables, edible oils, dairy products, electricity and manpower. “Margins in the food business remain under pressure. The LPG price reduction will certainly help, but it alone cannot offset the cumulative increase in other input costs over the past year,” he added.The price of a 47.5-kg commercial LPG cylinder has also reduced by Rs 432.50, from Rs 8,253.50 to Rs 7,821, bringing relief to hotels, caterers and large food establishments.Restaurant owners said they are considering reintroducing selective dishes and festive season offers ahead of Shravan and major religious occasions, anticipating a rise in footfall.“Shravan, Rath Yatra-related gatherings and the festive season usually lead to increased demand for vegetarian and special menu items. Reduction in LPG prices has come at the right time and will help us plan larger batches and festive offers. We are hopeful that improved customer turnout will provide some relief to the food industry,” said Manav Bagga, a restaurant operator at Main Road.
