DUSHANBE, June 26, 2012, Asia-Plus — Liquefied gas (propane) prices are reportedly coming down in Tajikistan.
Yormahmad Begahmadov, an official with the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI), says that the price of one liter of liquefied gas fell from 2.90 somoni in early June to 2.60 in late June. In March, one liter of liquefied gas cost 3.50 somoni.
According to Begahmadov, decrease in the liquefied gas prices has resulted from decrease in oil prices. “The price of one barrel of oil in world stock markets has fallen from US$126.00 in March to US$94.00,” Tajik official noted.
Since the beginning of the year, Tajikistan has reportedly imported 34,584 tons of liquefied gas, which is 18,000 tons more than in the same period last year. Kazakhstan accounts for 100 percent of Tajikistan’s liquefied gas imports.
According to data from a MoEI, oil product shipments have decreased over the first five months of this year. 148,595 tons of oil products have been delivered to the country over the report period, which is 66,300 tons fewer than in the same period last year. This amount included 68,900 tons of gasoline (48,600 tons fewer than in January-May 2011, and 43,900 tons of diesel fuel (13,600 tons fewer than in the same period last year).
Aviation fuel imports have also decreased over the same five-month period. 21,400 tons of aviation fuel have been delivered to Tajikistan in January-May this year, which is 7,700 tons fewer than in the same period last year.
“An average cost of one ton of oil products for this year is US$1,168, which is US$238.00 more as compared with last year,” Begahmadov said.
Russia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan have reportedly provided the bulk of Tajikistan’s fuel imports. Russia have accounted for 62.9 percent of Tajikistan’s fuel imports, Turkmenistan – 22.4 percent, Kazakhstan – 5.5 percent, Belarus – 4.2 percent, and Kyrgyzstan – 2.98 percent.
We will recall that Tajikistan has significantly reduced gasoline imports from Russia over the first two months of this year due to high prices, caused by increased export duties. However, fewer imports did not affect the fuel market much and no deficit of gasoline was observed at the fuel stations. The main reason was that the gap was filled by increasing the import of liquefied gas, mainly from Kazakhstan. Since gasoline prices started rising, this type of fuel has widely been used by the transport owners in the country, due to its comparably lower prices.
Although the installation of the new fuel system in the vehicle requires spending an additional amount (around 1,600 somoni) and the liquefied gas is mainly used in urban locations, still it’s believed the number of transport owners substituting gasoline with this type of gas has considerably been increasing this year. This is particularly true for private taxi owners in the main cities.
The MoEI says that the number of fuel stations selling liquefied gas has also increased and at present 510 stations are serving transport owners across the country.
