DUSHANBE, August 29, 2011, Asia-Plus — Russia has raised export duty on light oil again.
By Russian government’s decree export duty on light oil is raised from US$293.60 per ton to US$297.50 beginning on September 1, 2011. The export duty for gasoline is also raised by 1.3 percent – from US$394.40 to US$399.70.
We will recall that in July and August the Russian government lowered export duty on light oil and gasoline. On July 1, the export duty on light oil was reduced from US$309.60 to US$298.20 per ton and the export duty for gasoline was reduced from US$415.80 to US$400.50 and on August 1, the export duty on light oil was reduced from US$298.20 per ton to US$293.60 and the export duty for gasoline was reduced from US$400.50 to US$394.40.
The Russian government has regulated the export duty on light oil since the beginning of this year. 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.
The price of one liter of 80-octane gasoline is now 6.00, and the price of one liter of 92-octane gasoline is 6.30 somoni and the price of one liter of 95-octane gasoline is now 6.70 somoni, while diesel fuel is currently being sold at up to 6.00 somoni per liter.
According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT), Russian oil products now account for 83 percent of Tajikistan’s fuel imports.
Over the first six months of this year, Tajikistan has reportedly imported 255,800 tons of oil products for a total amount of US$242.8 million, with 213,000 tons of them being gasoline for US$204 million.
