By MAIMBO MWEEMBA
Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has reduced the pump price of petroleum products by one Kwacha 32 Ngwee for petrol and one Kwacha 22 Ngwee per liter for diesel which will now be sold as low Sulphur Gas oil.
Petrol will now be sold at 19 Kwacha 84 ngwee from the current 21 Kwacha 16 ngwee.
Diesel which is now low sulphur will be sold at 18 Kwacha wacha 93 ngwee, kerosene will be sold at 15 Kwacha 39 ngwee per litre.
The Price of kerosene remains unchanged.
The new price will take effected at mid night tonight.
And, ERB Board Chairperson Reynolds Bowa said that the price review has been necessitated by the decision to migrate to a monthly pricing cycle which entails that the local price of fuel is more responsive to the market fundamentals.
He said according to the market fundamentals for the month of December 2021, International Oil Prices for Petrol and Diesel recorded a notable decline with the Kwacha also appreciating against the United States Dollar.
“The petrol prices declined by 11.56 percent from 96 dollars 39 cents per barrel recorded in October 2021 to 85 dollars 25 cents in December 2021, while Diesel Prices also declined by 10 point six four percent from 93 dollars 27 cents per barrel to 83 dollars 35 cents per barrel,” he said.
Mr Bowa said this follows Government’s policy decision to place Indeni Refinery on care and maintenance, there will now only be one type of diesel sold on the market and that is the imported low Sulphur Gas oil or Diesel.
He said subsequent price reviews for petroleum products will be carried out every month based on the outcome of the trend in the exchange rate and International Oil prices in a month preceding the review.
“The monthly price reviews are essential to ensure there is full cost recovery in the supply chain which in turn ensures adequate revenue for the procurement of future fuel requirements for the country,” he said.
