DUSHANBE, May 7, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan’s State Procurement Agency (SPA) says 3,000 tons of diesel fuel from government reserves will be sold to farming units at cut rates.

The source at SPA says they will sell diesel fuel to farmers at 4.90-5.00 somoni per liter, which is 60-70 diram lower than current market prices.

“The government has made a decision to sell diesel fuel to farmers following rising fuel prices in the country,” said the source, “Farmers in Khatlon and Sughd provinces will receive 1,000 tons of diesel fuel each and the remainder will be distributed to farming units in Gorno Badakhshan and districts subordinate to the center.”

According to him, the government fuel reserves will be replenished due to amount made from selling the diesel fuel to farmers.

“We have coordinated new prices with the antimonopoly commission,” the SPA source said, noting that they will also begin to sell diesel fuel and gasoline in Dushanbe ad Sughd province through the republican state unitary enterprise, Zakhirahoi Nafti (oil supply).

“The prices will be 10-20 diram lower than current prices set by refueling stations,” said he.  “At first, we will use tank trucks for selling gasoline and diesel fuel, but with the lapse of time after getting permission from municipal and regional authorities, we plan to open stationary fuel sale points across the whole country.”

In the meantime, the Antimonopoly Agency has sent letters to Tajikistan’s largest fuel suppliers such as Anahita, Nouri Dilshod and Gazpromneft-Tajikistan, asking them to keep the current fuel shipment volumes.

“We have also asked fuel bulk suppliers and owners of refueling stations not to create an artificial deficit in a fuel market; otherwise, appropriate measures will be introduced against them in line with the law on competition and restrictions on monopoly activities in commodity markets,” the source at the antimonopoly agency said.

Current average price for one liter of 92-octane gasoline in Dushanbe is 5.00 somoni.

Meanwhile, refueling stations run by Gazpromneft-Tajikistan have set the following fuel prices: 5.60 somoni for 98-octane gasoline; 5.30 somoni for 95-octane gasoline; 4.80 somoni for 92-octane gasoline; 5.60 somoni for diesel fuel; and 2.90 somoni for liquefied gas.

Gazpromneft-Tajikistan reportedly dominates Tajikistan’s fuel market.  The source at the antimonopoly agency says the company is on the register of monopolists as it accounts for 35 percent of the country’s fuel market.  Over the first quarter of this year, Russia reportedly accounted for more than 90 percent of Tajikistan’s fuel imports.

Current average price for one ton Russian gasoline delivered to Tajikistan is reportedly US$1,010 (including US$408.30 export duty imposed by the Russian authorities on light oil on May 1).