Petrol sales fall 64%, diesel 61%, ATF 94% in first half of April amid lockdown
NEW DELHI: Petrol and diesel sales fell over 60%, and jet fuel demand almost disappeared in the first half of April because of the lockdown, but cooking gas sales rose 21%.
The fall in sales because of severe lockdown restrictions has squeezed the income of fuel retailers and forced refiners to halve their run rates.
Sale of diesel, which accounts for 40% of India’s oil demand, fell by 61% in the first half of April from a year ago because of restricted movement of vehicles, industry executives said. Sale of petrol, which makes up 14% of total oil consumption, has slid 64%. The data represent sales by state-run oil companies, which control about 90% of the domestic market.
