Iraq denies LPG shortage, says winter supplies remain steady

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s General Company for Gas Filling and Services on Tuesday denied reports of a shortage of liquefied petroleum gas, saying LPG supplies remain continuously available in Baghdad and other governorates despite higher winter demand.

The company said rumors circulating on social media about a cooking gas shortage were unfounded.

State-run filling plants in the capital are producing more than 160,000 LPG cylinders per day, the company said, adding that output has increased to meet seasonal demand and that sufficient reserves are in place to ensure stable distribution nationwide.

General Manager Anmar Ali Hussein said daily production of liquefied petroleum gas cylinders has exceeded 160,000 at government plants across Baghdad.

“Our plants in the capital are operating at an accelerated pace, especially as we are in the peak of the cold winter,” Hussein said. “Previously, daily production ranged between 120,000 and 130,000 cylinders, but our staff are working throughout the week to meet citizens’ needs for cooking gas.”

He said the company holds ample reserves of LPG. “We reassure our citizens that the company continues its work without interruption to deliver gas cylinders to all areas of Baghdad and the governorates,” Hussein said.

He urged the public not to rely on what he described as misleading reports. “Citizens should not trust rumors published by some media outlets and social media platforms about a gas crisis,” he said, stressing that LPG supplies are available on a continuous basis.

Most households in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region rely on 11-kilogram liquefied petroleum gas cylinders for cooking and water heating. The cylinders are filled at specialized facilities supplied by domestic gas production, and retail prices are regulated by the government.