The price of a 19kg LPG commercial cylinder in July 2020 was around Rs 1,200. In July 2021, it comes at around Rs 1,600. The spiralling fuel prices have pushed the owners of many small eateries to the brink. The steep rise in the prices of raw materials, most notably edible oil, has only made things worse, they said. Advertisement Saibal Ghosh, the owner of a fast-food centre in Behala, said a year ago, making a plate of mixed fried rice would cost him around Rs 85-90, including the overhead expenses. Now, making the same dish costs him around Rs 115-120. “There has been a 30 per cent rise in the production cost. From vegetables to chicken to eggs and prawn, everything has become costlier. But I have not been able to increase my price because that would further reduce the already dipping footfall,” said Ghosh.