Demand for firewood has seen a surge in several rural and semi-urban parts of Karnataka in recent weeks as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply disruptions have pushed households and businesses back to traditional cooking fuels. The surge, triggered by supply constraints related to the ongoing crisis in West Asia, has also led to a parallel, largely informal firewood market in many districts.
In Kodagu district, residents of small towns are increasingly turning to firewood, prompting property owners and rural households to start selling wood, a practice that was uncommon until recently. The store has even moved online, with sellers using WhatsApp groups to directly connect with buyers.
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Prithvi Bopanna, a resident of Gonikappa in south Kodagu, said demand is growing rapidly from both households and commercial establishments. “We sell firewood from our properties and also source from other properties to meet demand. Hotels and houses are buying,” he said.
According to him, a load of firewood in a jeep is currently between ₹5,000 and ₹7,000, depending on the quality and quantity.
Hotels are returning to firewood
A similar trend is visible in Shivamogga, where many hotels have been forced to abandon LPG-based cooking due to non-availability of commercial pressure cylinders. Several establishments have reverted to traditional wood-burning stoves, and piles of wood are now a common sight on the hotel premises.
A cashier at the Meenakshi Bhavan Hotel in Shivamogga said the shift was inevitable. “We had to switch to firewood cooking as LPG cylinders were not available. Even the cost of firewood has gone up and we source and store supplies from private farms to ensure continuity,” he said.
In Mysuru, the impact of LPG shortage has forced both households and hospitality businesses to rely on firewood, leading to a spike in prices and demand.
Sales of firewood doubled
Arif, who runs a timber warehouse on Benki Nawab Street in Mysuru, said his daily sales have more than doubled. “I used to sell around 500kg of firewood a day, mostly to food suppliers. Now I sell more than double that amount, with households and hotels becoming regular customers,” he said.
He added that prices have increased from ₹60-70 per 10 kg to ₹80-100, reflecting both higher demand and limited supply. The timber traders in nearby Hunsur, from whom he gets his wood, are struggling to keep up with the growing demand.
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Mysuru Hotel Owners Association president Narayan Gowda said the situation has left hotel owners with limited options. “With the suspension of commercial LPG supplies, many are forced to either shut down or switch to firewood. Paying ₹6,000-7,000 for an LPG cylinder in the black market is not viable,” he said.
No significant increase in demand for firewood in backward areas
The situation in the rural hinterland appears to be different, as firewood is already the primary fuel for cooking. The logging industry in Yadgir district, Kalyana region of Karnataka reported a slight increase in demand, estimated at 10-15% above normal levels. Traders in Yadgir said firewood is being sold at around ₹70 per kilogram and ₹700 per quintal, with no significant supply constraints so far.
A shelter turns to firewood to feed hundreds of animals in Mysuru
People For Animals (PFA) Mysuru has adapted its operations to provide round-the-clock care to hundreds of animals despite the lack of commercial gas cylinders.
Anil, manager of PFA Mysuru, said the shelter has switched to using firewood for cooking. “While the shortage affected our routine, we quickly switched to firewood. It proved to be faster and more efficient for large-scale cooking,” he said.
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The shelter houses 140 dogs in the treatment section, 120 in the permanent section, 90 puppies and 7 pigs. In addition, they feed daily around 350 animals at the facility and nearly 100 community dogs in areas such as Bogadi and the Mysore University campus. To maintain operations, PFA Mysuru procured about 1.5 tonnes of firewood.
(With contributions from Darshan Devaiah BP, Laiqh A. Khan, Sathish GT and Ravikumar Narboli)
The Forestry Office suspends firewood auctions
Amid shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply in Karnataka, the state forest department has decided to temporarily stop firewood auction to curb hoarding and ensure availability for essential use.
In a circular issued on March 18, the ministry directed divisional-level officials to suspend the ongoing and upcoming firewood auctions, citing the likelihood of increased demand for alternative fuel sources in the coming weeks.
The department operates 39 permanent depots and several temporary depots where firewood is usually sold through an online auction system. However, the forest department has now been instructed to exercise caution in releasing the stock.
An exception has been made for domestic consumers, allowing limited access to firewood. At the same time, officials have been asked to prioritize the future requirements of anganwadis, hostels and similar institutions that depend on such fuel for day-to-day operations.
Published – 26 March 2026 10:55 IST
