By Joseph Varghese/Staff Reporter

Many retailers and customers of Shafaf LPG cylinders, distributed by Qatar Fuel (Woqod) for domestic use, have complained of ‘irregular’ supply.
Many neigbourhood supermarkets in Doha, which are retailers of Shafaf cylinders, told Gulf Times that the supply was “very irregular.”
Some of them said that even after repeated requests they do not get enough cylinders to meet the customers’ demands.
However, Woqod petrol stations have enough stock of the cylinders all across the city. “We get enough stock everyday and I think the cylinders are distributed regularly at other places too. We are not aware of any shortage at other places,” a salesman at a Woqod petrol station said.
One of the shopkeepers on Salwa Road said he had to wait for a week to get a delivery of Shafaf cylinders.
“The stock was delivered after repeated requests. Moreover, they have stopped the supply of extra cylinders even if there is demand from the customers.”
He added that a branch of the shop at another location has stopped the sale of Shafaf cylinders due to this situation.
The same concerns were echoed by another retailer in Bin Omran area.  
“The supply has been affected of late. I do not know what the reason is. But we are facing difficulties to supply the cylinders to our regular customers. Many of them now have to go to different places to collect gas cylinders.”
He added that even the regulators are in short supply.
One customer said he was not able to get the empty cylinder replaced from the nearby shop from where he usually buys it.
“Over the last two days I had checked with the salesman at the shop and I got the reply  ‘no stock’. I hope that I will be able to get the cylinder replaced before my second cylinder is depleted.”
Woqod officials could not be reached for comments.
Woqod introduced lightweight, transparent Shafaf cylinders in an effort to make LPG domestic use safer and more convenient. The Shafaf cylinders for domestic use are available in two variants of 6kg and 12kg.