Gas prices are again on the rise

Photo: Aleksey Solodunov

Retailers have raised prices for gasoline again. According to data of the Consulting Group A-95, the price per liter of gas increased by UAH 0.20 over one day at outlets of the gas station chain BRSM-Nafta (linked to the former Energy and Coal Minister Eduard Stavytskiy): the price of A-92 gasoline grew to UAH 14.79 per liter, A-95 — UAH 15.04. Also, gas stations KLO, Marshal, Market, Nadezhda, LOTOS and others raised their prices by UAH 0.15-0.20.

Privat refused to service private customers

Escalation of prices resulted from a new shortage of gasoline, believes expert of the analytical company UPECO Serhiy Syrenko, specifying that the situation was mainly due to suspension of sales to private customers at Privat gas stations (ANP, UkrNafta, Mavex, Sentosa, Avias and others (a total of 1,600 stations) controlled by Dnipropetrovsk Governor Ihor Kolomoyskiy — Capital). The governor’s advisor on informational activity Borys Abrahinskiy told the publication that on July 23 the gas stations of the Privat group did not service private customers. «They conducted an inventory, but car owners could fill their tanks using gas cards,» he confirmed. After that the gas stations in the Dnipropetrovsk oblast renewed their operation.

«In other regions of the country, customers can purchase fuel for cash only at stations of the UkrNafta chain,» informed a representative of the company’s Kyiv office, who requested anonymity. In all other gas station chains customers could only purchase fuel using personal or corporate gas cards. The publication’s interlocutor could not name the reasons for the limitations on the sale of gasoline.

Shortage of fuel

Fuel retailers deny that the policy of Privat gas stations’ sales influenced price formation. «Problems with gasoline supplies from Belarus are to blame,» explains Marketing Director of the BRSM-Nafta chain Oleksandr Melnychuk. Today, there are factually no wholesale offers for supplies, which in turn leads to a rise in purchasing prices, he adds. «We already sold out the reserves at old prices and are forced to buy new supplies at higher prices,» says Deputy Director of Nadezhda-Retail (manages Nadezhda gas stations) Olena Oranska.

Director of the A-95 group of companies Serhiy Kuyun says that during the past month Belarus re-oriented its supplies to Russia, which led to a shortage of fuel and increase in prices. From July 14 till July 21, the price of a tonne of Belarusian A-92 gasoline increased by around US $80.

Prices may grow

The situation may be further aggravated, believe experts. The Mozyr Oil Refinery (Belarus) will shut down for repairs in the middle of August. The reserves of oil products that have been formed may be shipped to Russia instead of Ukraine. «Major players may fail to hold back prices,» complains Kuyun. According to his forecasts, the prices of gas may soon increase by approximately UAH 0.5 per liter.

Syrenko has a different standpoint. «The hyped demand will subside and prices may slide back,» he says.

The prices on markets are monitored by the Anti-Monopoly Committee of Ukraine. Capital was told at the AMCU that the situation was being monitored, but documents regarding the situation have not yet been requested from gas station chains. «We are conducting a survey of the fuel market, but we are looking into the prices for February-May,» said an employee of the committee on condition of anonymity. Capital did not receive official commentary from the AMCU yesterday.