Khaberni - The head of the Fuel Stations Owners Union, Nahar Saeedat, announced on Wednesday that the demand for fuel surged by 40% on Tuesday evening compared to previous days, ahead of implementing the fuel pricing for the month of April.
Saeedat said that fuel stations witnessed significant activity, as citizens rushed to fill up their vehicles to benefit from the old prices before the new pricing was applied.
He added that the union received no complaints about any station refusing to sell fuel on purpose to monopolize or benefit from the price difference, emphasizing that regulatory authorities would take strict actions against any station that ignores the rules, and that the citizen’s right to access their needs is fully guaranteed.
Saeedat stressed the importance of not storing petroleum products, due to the risks it poses to public safety, assuring that there are adequate supplies of fuel available and there is no need for concern.
Saeedat pointed out that the energy file is managed by the government very transparently, as it bears a large part of the difference in fuel prices due to global price rises, which does not reflect directly in the local market but gradually over several months.
He added that this approach contributes to stabilizing the prices of goods and transport services and enhances the movement of the Jordanian economy, noting that the government bore direct costs in the energy and electricity sectors amounting to about 150 million dinar during the first month of the regional crisis.
Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan had previously stated that "our main challenge is the significant global rise in energy prices, hence the government has set a clear policy to deal with the matter, based on gradually mirroring the global price locally, to protect the sustainability of economic sectors and to mitigate the direct impact on the citizens due to the war".
Hassan emphasized that the government will not fully reflect the global rise in fuel prices during this phase, in order to contain the repercussions of the war and prevent harm to the national economy or citizens, with gradual compensation after the prices stabilize.
He added that Jordan is facing the energy price crisis in a different manner compared to the 2011-2013 crisis following the disruption of Egyptian gas, through diversifying energy sources, importing liquefied gas, relying on oil shale, and alternative energy, along with developing gas facilities in Risha.
He confirmed that the monthly costs of the sector during the crisis exceeded 150 million dinar.
Regarding the new pricing, the Oil Derivatives Pricing Committee decided on Tuesday to fix the price of the domestic gas cylinder (12.5 kg) at 7 dinars, with a subsidy of 2.4 dinar per cylinder for the month of April, despite the rise in global prices.
The price of kerosene was also maintained at 550 fils/liter, while other oil derivative prices were: 90-octane gasoline at 910 fils/liter, 95-octane gasoline at 1200 fils/liter, and diesel at 720 fils/liter.
The committee explained that the increase does not affect the government's tax revenues, but reflects a portion of the global price rise. The governmental support for diesel and kerosene exceeded the imposed tax on them. The actual costs of oil derivatives for April were: 1165 fils/liter for 90-octane gasoline, 1325 fils/liter for 95-octane gasoline, and 1120 fils/liter for diesel, and 1135 fils/liter for kerosene.
The committee stated that the government did not fully reflect the hikes on the local prices, where approximately 37% of the increase for 90-octane gasoline, 55% for 95-octane gasoline, and 14% for diesel were mirrored, while the rise in kerosene prices was completely contained. The committee affirmed that this decision maintains a balance between actual costs and local prices, in accordance with government policies to limit the effects of global fluctuations on citizens and the economy.
