NEW DELHI, May 1 (Xinhua) -- The price of a commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder of 19 kilograms in India was hiked by 993 Indian rupees (around 10.47 U.S. dollars) to 3,071.50 Indian rupees (around 32.38 dollars) on Friday due to prolonged conflict in the Middle East, local media reported.
The hike was expected to lead to a rise in food prices at restaurants, hotels and other eateries where commercial LPG cylinders were used for cooking purposes.
According to media reports, the price of commercial LPG cylinder has increased three times since the Mideast conflict began. It was first increased by 144 Indian rupees in March, and then by 200 Indian rupees on April 1.
The Indian government had been claiming smooth supplies of cooking gas both for commercial and domestic usage. According to official estimates, India imports more than 60 percent of its LPG demand, mainly from countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. ■