Petrol prices rise to 15-month high due to global trends
Dar es Salaam. Motorists will have to dig deeper into their pockets as the price of petrol has risen to 15-month high.
The Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura) yesterday reviewed cap prices for petroleum products where it raised that of petrol from Sh1,981 in March to Sh2,123 in April.
The last time that prices of petrol, which is widely used by motorists, hovered around the Sh2,000-mark was in January 2020 when it rose from Sh2,161 in December 2019 to Sh2,121 in January 2020.
In its statement, which was published in some media outlets yesterday, Ewura said for the month of April 2021, retail prices of petrol and diesel imported through the Dar es Salaam Port increased by 7.8 percent and 4.46 percent respectively.
The cap price for diesel – which became effective yesterday - is thus Sh1,996 per litre.
Ewura attributed the surge in the local oil prices to the global trends that have largely affected oil prices at the World Market and the BPS premiums.
The retail prices for petrol and diesel will be Sh142 and Sh85 more than what was paid for petrol and diesel in the preceding month respectively.
Similarly, compared to the publication of last month, wholesale prices of petrol increased to Sh1,994.38 (7.66 percent), diesel to Sh1, 867.3 (4.77 percent).
Wholesale and retail prices for kerosene would remain unchanged because there was no new importation at the Dar port. Likewise, retail prices of petrol and diesel in the Northern regions (Tanga, Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Manyara) have increased by Sh73/litre (equivalent to 3.49 percent) and Sh105/litre (equivalent to 5.5 percent), respectively while those of Kerosene remained flat.
Wholesale prices of petrol and diesel also showed an increase by Sh72.38/litre (equivalent to 3.71 percent) and Sh105.12/litre (equivalent to 5.87 percent).
“…this information on prices is intended to enable stakeholders to make informed decisions on petroleum prices at any particular time,” Ewura said in their statement.
Moreover, the authority directed the oil companies to sell their products at a price that gives them competitive advantage provided that such price does not exceed the price cap.
Consumers are also encouraged to purchase from stations that sell products at the most competitive prices and offer better services.
