Gas shortages require swift government response

Logistical improvements must be paired with clear legal limits on cylinder ownership to prevent hoarding.

The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) market in Nepal currently faces a paradox where consumers experience shortages despite government officials claiming that imports from India remain steady. This recurring crisis has resurfaced less than two weeks after the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) restored the sale of full-sized, 14.2 kg cylinders. The statistics maintained by the NOC tell an interesting story. During the initial stages of the West Asian conflict in February-March, the corporation supplied 51,192 tonnes of gas. LPG supply has remained steady, hovering around 40,000 tonnes per month till June-July. This trend indicates that the volume of fuel entering the country is not the primary driver of the current scarcity.