Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) supply across the Kathmandu Valley and major urban centers is returning to normal following an influx of imports from the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and smoother domestic distribution. The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) confirmed that market pressures have begun easing as refined gas bullets arrive daily from Indian refineries.
Key Details of the Supply Stabilization:
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Transition Back to Full Cylinders: The temporary market crunch emerged after NOC ended its practice of selling half-weight (7.1 kg) cylinders—a precautionary measure introduced earlier in the year due to global geopolitical tensions—and resumed standard 14.2 kg cylinder sales. The sudden transition triggered a sharp spike in consumer demand as households rushed to exchange half-cylinders.
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Increased Import Volumes: Imports from IOC refineries have risen substantially to meet the surge. NOC reports that over 100 gas bullets are now being loaded daily for shipment into Nepal. Total monthly imports for Shrawan are projected to hit approximately 55,000 metric tons, up from 44,318 metric tons during the same period last year.
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Festival Stocking & Diplomatic Quota Requests: Ahead of upcoming major national festivals, the government has initiated diplomatic talks with Indian authorities to secure an increased gas quota for the next three months to ensure continuous buffer stock.
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Market Monitoring and Citizen Redressal: High-level government teams and NOC officials have conducted inspections at bottling plants and depots—including Nepal Gas Industry facilities in Balaju and Teku—to prevent artificial hoarding and black marketing. NOC’s Quick Response Team has actively addressed over 500 direct consumer complaints regarding supply delays.
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Government Advice to Consumers: Officials urge the public not to panic-buy or store excess cylinders, assuring that current distribution levels comfortably exceed routine demand.