With the demand for firewood from households and the hotel sector rising, wood suppliers have warned of a possible shortage.

Benny Nanatt, an eatery owner at Palarivattom, says that due to the unavailability of LPG cylinders, several hotels have turned to firewood. “Induction cooktops are not an option as commercial electricity connections have higher tariffs. So, firewood is largely relied upon,” said Mr. Nanatt. He has been using rocket stoves that run on firewood.

“It has been two weeks since I booked firewood, and I have yet to get it. Moreover, scarcity of firewood has resulted in a sharp increase in prices,” he added.

A tonne of firewood that used to cost around ₹2,600 has gone up to ₹3,500 within a few weeks. In the case of tamarind wood, the price has risen by ₹4,000, hoteliers said. Kerala Hotels and Restaurants Association State president G. Jayapal said the crisis was continuing unabated, resulting in the closure of several restaurants.

Anto P.D., a firewood supplier from Irinjalakuda in Thrissur, said he used to supply firewood to factories in Chennai earlier. “At present, we do not have enough volume of wood to meet their requirement as the local demand remains high. Hotels and households are relying heavily on firewood. There is a general scare among the public that the crisis could persist, prompting them to stock up,” he added.

Firewood is obtained from houses after pruning, he said. “Earlier, around 30 tonnes of firewood used to arrive daily. But it has come down to around six tonnes now,” he added.