Kamal Ghorui
Concerns over cooking gas availability amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia are prompting households to turn to electric kitchen appliances, triggering a sharp rise in demand for induction cooktops and electric kettles, industry executives said.Tata Group’s Croma has seen a strong spike in consumer interest in induction cooktops over the past few days, while Stovekraft Ltd reported a multiple-fold jump in online sales of such appliances as buyers explored alternatives to LPG.“At Croma, we have observed a sharp and immediate uptick in demand for induction cooktops over the past few days. Our average daily run rate has surged significantly,” Infiniti Retail Ltd (Croma) CEO & MD Shibashish Roy said, PTI reported.While he did not disclose exact numbers, Roy added, “Our average daily run rate has surged to nearly three times the usual levels.”He further noted that consumer behaviour has also changed. “Interestingly, we are also seeing customers purchase multiple units at a time, which was not common earlier, indicating some precautionary buying.”Alongside induction cooktops, demand for electric kettles has also increased, with sales nearly doubling compared with the regular run rate, Roy said.“Induction cooktops and electric kettles are increasingly being viewed as a reliable and convenient alternative, and there is a present momentum in the adoption of electric cooking solutions across households,” he said, adding that the company is maintaining adequate availability across stores and online channels.An Amazon India spokesperson said, “Over the last two days, sales of induction cooktops have increased 30X, while rice cookers and electric pressure cookers are seeing a 4X increase. Air fryers and multi-use kettles are also seeing a 2X increase in sales over a regular day.“Customers are using Amazon Now to get similar products within minutes in parts of Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru.”Echoing similar trends, Stovekraft Managing Director Rajendra Gandhi said, “We have seen a four times spike in the average weekly sales of induction cooktops in the e-commerce channels since the beginning of the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.”The company currently manufactures around 2 lakh induction cooktops at its facility in Harohalli, Karnataka. “We plan to ramp this up in the coming financial year,” Gandhi added.Stovekraft said it expects consumer interest in energy-efficient and alternative cooking solutions to remain strong as households seek reliable and cost-effective appliances. The company sells kitchen appliances and cookware under brands such as Pigeon and Gilma through online and offline channels.Meanwhile, amid supply concerns linked to the West Asia conflict, a senior Oil Ministry official on Wednesday said there was no need for panic booking of LPG cylinders and that the normal delivery cycle of about 2.5 days was continuing.India’s crude oil supplies remain secure, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Sujata Sharma told reporters at a briefing, adding that crude is being sourced through routes that do not pass via the Strait of Hormuz.Government measures have also led to a 25 per cent rise in LPG production, according to the ministry. However, disruptions in energy supplies due to the widening conflict have created “limitations” in continuing LPG supplies to industrial and commercial consumers for now.
