Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has said there is no shortage in the supply of cooking gas, even as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) bottlers claim that the Kathmandu Valley market is facing supply constraints.
According to LPG bottlers, the shortage has been triggered by increased winter demand and operational issues at Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) refineries. Shiva Ghimire, former president of the Nepal LP Gas Industry Association, said the limited availability of gas bullets used for transportation has affected domestic supply. He also noted that the nearest IOC depot in Barauni has been supplying lower volumes of LPG in recent days.
However, the NOC maintained that LPG is being imported in sufficient quantities. NOC Spokesperson Manoj Thakur said that 140 gas bullets were loaded on Tuesday alone, while 100 bullets were loaded on Wednesday—figures higher than the normal seasonal average.
According to the NOC, daily demand for cooking gas typically stands at 70–75 gas bullets, equivalent to around 1,260 tonnes. Thakur added that supply has been increased in view of the winter season and the upcoming elections. To ensure smooth distribution, the NOC has issued 10 percent more purchase delivery orders to gas importers.
LPG importers collect cooking gas from IOC depots in Barauni, Mathura, and Haldia in India. Thakur acknowledged that isolated supply disruptions may have occurred at individual bottling plants due to technical issues, delays in cylinder circulation, or company-specific distribution problems.
Meanwhile, Ghimire said LPG consumption rises by around 15 percent during winter. He claimed that while at least 50,000 tonnes of LPG are required to meet seasonal demand, imports have remained close to 40,000 tonnes due to delays from the Indian supplier.
A gas dealer in Hattigauda said customers currently have to wait four to five days on average to receive cooking gas.
NOC records show that 38,000 tonnes of LPG were imported in the first 25 days of January. Imports totaled 49,184 tonnes in December and 46,346 tonnes in November. In the last fiscal year, Nepal imported 553,254 tonnes of LPG, averaging 46,104 tonnes per month—an increase of 5.53 percent compared to the monthly average in FY 2023/24.
