DUSHANBE, July 18, 2013, Asia-Plus — The Government of Kyrgyzstan has signed an executive order putting a one-year ban on re-export of Russian duty-free fuels to other countries.
Tajikistan reportedly became aware of this order only in mid-July though it was signed by Kyrgyz Prime Minister Zhantoro Satybaldiyev on May 17 this year.
Kyrgyzstan justified the decision as aimed at preventing critical fuel shortages and rising prices in the domestic market.
The ban does not apply to oil products produced in Kyrgyzstan itself. Kyrgyz oil products may be delivered to Tajikistan both by road tankers and rail cars.
Meanwhile, according to the statistical data from the Ministry of Energy and Industry (MoEI), the volume of oil products delivered to Tajikistan from Kyrgyzstan has not decreased over the past two months; on contrary, it has increased.
Kyrgyzstan has reportedly accounted for 40.8 of Tajikistan fuel imports carried out over the first six months of this year though it does not produce oil products itself and fully depends on fuel imports from Russia. Over the first half-year of 2012, Kyrgyzstan accounted for only 3.3 percent of Tajikistan’s fuel imports.
In January-June 2013, Russia has accounted for 40 percent of Tajikistan’s fuel imports while last year, it accounted for 61.9 percent of Tajikistan’s fuel imports.
Over the first half-year of 213, Tajikistan’s fuel imports have totaled 183,194 tons (14,300 tons more than in the same period last year), including 60,400 tons of gasoline (18,100 tons fewer than in the same period last year), 66,900 tons of diesel fuel (18,800 tons more than in the same period last year), and 34,900 tons of jet engine fuel (8,500 tons more than in the same period last year).
In June, gasoline and diesel prices reportedly decreased slightly in Dushanbe and remained unchanged in Khujand (Sughd) and Qurghon Teppa (Khatlon) markets. An expected reduction of Russian export tariffs, which should lead to a reduction of fuel prices in Tajikistan, has not occurred yet.
