DUSHANBE, May 11, 2011, Asia-Plus — Gazpromneft-Tajikistan, a subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned gas company, has raised gasoline prices.
The price of one liter of 92-octane gasoline has risen from 4.80 somoni on May 10 to 5.25 somoni, an increase of nearly 9.4 percent.
As of May 11, Gazpromneft –Tajikistan is selling 95-octane gasoline for 5.50 somoni per liter, up nearly 3.8 percent as compared with May 10 (5.30 somoni per liter).
The price of one liter of 98-octane gasoline has risen from 5.60 somoni on May 10 to 5.65 somoni and the price of one liter of diesel fuel has risen from 5.60 somoni to 5.85 somoni (an increase of 4.6 percent).
As of May 11, the company is selling 80-octane gasoline for 4.95 somoni per liter instead the previous 4.70 somoni, an increase of 5.3 percent.
The source at Gazprom-Tajikistan says the company has coordinated the new fuel prices with the Antimonopoly Agency under the Government of Tajikistan. According to him, the company has justified the decision to raise gasoline prices as based on the fact that Russia has raised fuel export tariffs.
We will recall that the Russian government ordered the May onwards, the export tariff of gasoline by 44%, in response to the shortage of domestic regional motor fuel. The export tariff of gasoline is US$408.3 per ton and the export tariff of other light oil products is US$304.00 per ton.
It is to be noted that the price of one liter of 92-octane gasoline in Dushanbe fluctuates from 5.20 to 5.80 somoni. Specialists from the antimonopoly agency said it could not be ruled out that entities speculated in gasoline.
“Large gasoline-tank trucks are selling gasoline in Dushanbe at overstated prices,” said the source at the antimonopoly agency. “I do not mean red-colored gasoline-tank trucks belonging to the state unitary enterprise, Zakhirahoi Nafti; I mean those who are probably buying gasoline wholesale from suppliers and selling it illegally.”
Gazpromneft-Tajikistan reportedly dominates Tajikistan’s fuel market. The source at the antimonopoly agency says the company is on the register of monopolists as it accounts for 35 percent of the country’s fuel market. Over the first quarter of this year, Russia reportedly accounted for 79.3 percent of Tajikistan’s fuel imports. In January-March this year, Tajikistan imported 141,300 tons of oil products, including 82,800 tons of gasoline and 35,700 tons of diesel fuel.
Prices of some basic food prices have risen dramatically in Tajikistan due to a recent increase in the price of fuel and the U.S. dollar”s rise against the local currency. According to official data, Tajikistan imports 60 percent of its food and all of its fuel and mineral fertilizers.
