DUSHANBE, July 6, 2011, Asia-Plus — Oil products will fall in price in Tajikistan as soon as a consignment of oil products under new export tariffs arrives in the country, the source at Gazpromneft-Tajikistan told Asia-Plus today.
“Our refueling stations are still realizing gasoline under the export duty set on June 1,” said he, “Of course, new consumer prices will be set with regard to our expenses.”
The source did not say when the new consignment of oil products would arrive in Tajikistan for Gazpromneft-Tajikistan. He just noted that they still had enough gasoline stocks.
At the Gazpromneft-Tajikistan refueling stations, current prices are 5.90 somoni for one liter of 92-octane gasoline, 6.00 somoni for one liter of 95-octane gasoline and 6.10 somoni for one liter 98-octane gasoline.
Gazpromneft-Tajikistan, which a subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned gas company, reportedly dominates Tajikistan’s fuel market.
We will recall that Russia has lowered export duty on light oil. By Russian government’s decree export duty on light oil is decreased from US$309.60 to US$298.20 per ton beginning on July 1, 2011. The export duty for gasoline is also decreased from US$15.80 to US$400.50 beginning on July 1, 2011.
It is to be noted that it is the first decrease in export duty for Russian oil products this year. Since the beginning of this year, the Russian government has regulated the export duty on light oil. A sudden spike was reported in May, when export duty for Russian gasoline rose 44 percent as compared with April.
Introduction of export duty on Russian light oil has led to considerable increase in gasoline prices in Tajikistan.
According to the statistical data from the Customs Service, Tajikistan’s fuel imports have fallen 11 percent over the first five months of this year. Some 200,000 tons of oil products have been supplied to the countries over the report period. Russian reportedly accounted for 90 percent (180,000 tons) of Tajikistan’s fuel imports over the report period.
