DUSHANBE, April 27, 2011, Asia-Plus — It is more profitable for Tajikistan to import oil products from Russia, Minister Economic Development and Trade Farrukh Hamraliyev announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on Aril 27.
“Despite export duty imposed by Russia on light oil, import of oil products from this country is more profitable than from Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan or Ukraine,” the minister noted.
According to him, gasoline supplies from other countries are possible, but the main problem for us is the price for oil products offered by these countries. “In Turkmenistan, for example, prices are set by stock markets that is not always profitable for us,” the minister stressed.
Hamraliyev added that negotiations with Russia over export tariffs for oil products were going on.
According to data from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT), current average price of one ton of Russian oil products imported into Tajikistan is US$885.00, while in 2010, it was US$691.00. Current average price of Turkmen fuels is US$915.00 per one ton.
Gasoline prices have hit a new high in Tajikistan this month. The price of one liter of 95-octane gasoline in Dushanbe rose from 4.70 percent on April 1 to 4.90 somoni on Aril 11, with similar price rises in other parts of the country.
We will recall that Russia that provides the bulk of Tajikistan’s fuel imports has raised gas tariffs for Tajikistan again. By Russian government’s decree the export duty on light oil for countries that are not members of the Customs Union rises from US$244.6 to US$283.9 beginning on April 1.
According to the Customs Service, Tajikistan has imported more than 141,000 tons of fuel for a total amount of U$125 million over the first three months of this year and Russia accounted for 80 percent of Tajikistan’s fuel imports over the report period. In January-March this year, Tajikistan has imported 82,200 tons of gasoline, 35,700 tons of diesel fuel, 4,700 tons of fuel oil as well as other fuels and lubricants. Gazpromneft reportedly dominated Tajik fuel market over the report period, accounting for 35 percent of fuel deliveries in January-March 2011; the remainder has been delivered by domestic companies.
