Fuel sales drop in November as festive demand moderates after Diwali

New Delhi: Diesel sales dropped 8% and petrol 1% year-on-year in November as festival-driven demand moderated after Diwali. Diesel sales were 14% lower compared to the pre-pandemic month of November 2019, as per the sales data from state-run oil companies that control 90% of fuel stations in the country. In October, the diesel demand had risen above the pre-pandemic level.

Year-on-year comparisons during October and November are a bit skewed due to the timings of Hindu festivals Navratri and Diwali, which fall within a few weeks of each other but can conclude in October in some years while stretching to mid-November in others.