Fuel prices hit new highs in Tanzania

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Fuel prices have hit new highs in Tanzania as tensions in eastern Europe continued to hurt the global oil market.

According to the latest cap prices for May for petroleum products, announced late Tuesday by the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA), petrol will be sold at Tsh3,148 ($1.36) and diesel Tsh3,258 ($1.40) per litre at the pump in Dar es Salaam, up from Tsh2,861 ($1.23) and Tsh2,692 ($1.16), respectively in April.

The new prices, effective Wednesday May 4, represent an increase of 9.5 percent for petrol and 17.1 percent for diesel following hikes of 12 and 21 percent, respectively in April.

According to EWURA, the retail price for kerosene in Dar es Salaam will be Tsh3,112 ($1.34) per litre compared to Tsh2,682 ($1.15) in April and Tsh2,209 ($0.95) in March.“Prices of each petroleum product throughout the country will be computed based on the cost of the product received through the ports and the transport costs to the respective regions,” the agency said.

The most expensive selling point remains Kyerwa district in Kagera region on the border with Rwanda and Uganda where petrol now costs Tsh3,385 ($1.46), diesel Tsh3,495 ($1.51) and kerosene Tsh3,350 ($1.44) per litre.

EWURA explained that “about 93 percent” of the latest price changes were attributable to rising world oil market prices and “about 4 percent to premiums”.“Furthermore, prices in the country are comparable to prices applicable to neighbouring countries,” it added.

The new retail prices were announced as wholesale prices for petrol and diesel shipments offloaded at Tanzania's main ports went past the Tsh3,000 or $1.3 per litre mark for the first time in April.

According to EWURA, petrol shipped in through the port of Dar es Salaam will cost Tsh3,015 ($1.302) per litre, while it will cost Tsh3,028 ($1.308) for coming in through Tanga and Tsh3,044 ($1.315) for Mtwara.

Diesel shipments were priced at Tsh3,125 ($1.35) per litre for Dar, Tsh3,131 ($1.353) for Tanga and Tsh3,176 ($1.372) for Mtwara.

Kerosene imports came through the port of Dar es Salaam only and will be sold at Tsh2,980 ($1.287) per litre wholesale without taking into account transport costs to other parts of the country.