US–Iran war hits Indore trade:Supplies hit by delayed shipments; prices of oil, pulses, sweets rise, commercial gas crisis persists

The impact of ongoing Iran–US tensions is now being felt in the city, with delays in shipments and containers from Africa and the Middle East disrupting supply chains. Rising logistics costs and supply constraints have started affecting the prices of essential food items such as edible oil, pulses, milk, and sweets. Meanwhile, the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders continues to trouble businesses. Consumption drops, costs rise According to traders, daily consumption of food items has declined by around 15%. Supply disruptions have increased costs, while reduced consumption has weakened business activity. They warn that if the situation does not improve soon, the coming days could bring further challenges. Authorities, however, have stated that preparations are underway to manage the situation and ensure minimal inconvenience to the public. Shipping bottlenecks and Trade impact Ramesh Mangal, a trader associated with wholesale markets in Indore, said that shortages of containers, difficulty in securing shipping bookings, and rising insurance costs have made it difficult to dispatch goods. Suppliers are now offering alternatives instead of sticking to pre-agreed deals, leading traders to delay transactions. Edible oil prices rise Wholesale prices of edible oil tins have increased by ₹200 to ₹300. While the rise is moderate, it is already impacting food items such as snacks and sweets, as well as overall meal costs. Traders believe the situation may stabilize in the coming days. Milk and Sweets get costlier The Indore Milk Vendors Association has increased milk prices from ₹60 to ₹63 per litre, citing higher transportation and packaging costs. According to trader Vikas Jain, prices of sweets have risen by ₹30 to ₹40 per kilogram over the past week. Pulses and Rice likely to get dearer Traders Dayal Gangwani and Suresh Agrawal said that a shortage of gas has affected mill production. As a result, rice prices may increase by 5–10%, while pulses are also expected to become more expensive. Weak demand in grocery market Manish Bisani, president of the Siyaganj Wholesale Grocery Brokers Association, said that market demand remains weak. Dry fruits have seen price increases, while spices have been only marginally affected so far. Commercial LPG shortage continues While domestic LPG cylinder bookings and deliveries have normalized—with deliveries taking place within five days—the shortage of commercial cylinders persists. The daily demand stands at 2,500 to 3,000 cylinders, but only 1,000 to 1,200 are being refilled. This has created difficulties for businesses, especially in the food sector. In Indore, the price of a commercial LPG cylinder has increased from ₹2,021 to ₹2,186. Food Controller M.L. Maru stated that while domestic gas supply is stable, commercial cylinder refilling remains insufficient.