Induction cooktops fly off shelves amid LPG supply fears in Chandigarh

Fears of LPG shortages triggered by supply disruptions linked to the West Asia conflict led to a surge in demand for induction cooktops across the country between March 10 and 13, with households rushing to switch cooking methods and retailers reporting empty shelves.

At Bharat Crockery inChandigarh, proprietor Nitin Kansal said he sold 200 units in just four hours, far exceeding his annual average sale of around 100 pieces.

“The surge started on March 10,” he said.

“Panic was intense.

Some families bought five to seven units each, fearing the crisis would drag on.”
Retailers said the first consignments arrived at older prices, but the cost of new stock quickly rose.

Brands such as Sunflame and Prestige increased prices by 7–15 per cent, while some suppliers raised rates by as much as 20–25 per cent, according to Ajay Gupta, president of the Chandigarh Business Council and owner of Appliances Gallery in Sector 22.

Most induction cooktops sold in India are imported in knocked-down condition from China and assembled locally.

Basic models typically retail between Rs 1,800 and Rs 2,000, while premium variants can cost up to Rs 5,000.The rush was also visible among domestic workers and households trying to secure an alternative cooking option.

Neelam Kumari, who works as a housekeeper in Chandigarh, said she rushed to buy an induction plate after her employers in Sector 27 bought two hot plates and several utensils in the light of the LPG shortage.

“I have an Indane connection but the agency in the sector remained locked for half the day today and I am unable to book a cylinder online.

So I made haste to buy a basic hot plate,” she said.

Retailers said the devices are useful only when paired with compatible cookware.

“The base has to be flat and made of steel.

It does not heat other metals and alloys,” said a salesperson at a home store in Elante.

He added that demand for such utensils has also shot up.

“Almost everyone who comes to us is buying a tawa, a kadai and a cooker,” he said.

Egg and milk boilers, too, are seeing fresh demand as households try to cut down on daily LPG use.

Neelam said the changes are already visible in her routine.

“Now on, we are doing all the reheating in the microwave.

Earlier my employer did not want me to use it,” she said.

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