DUSHANBE, September 29, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Liquefied gas shortages have led to a new rise in fuel prices in Tajikistan, an official source at the Antimonopoly Agency under the Government of Tajikistan told Asia-Plus in an interview.

The price of one liter of liquefied gas in Dushanbe has risen from 2.60 somoni in early August to 3.80 somoni, with similar rises in other parts of the country.  In Sughd province, for example, the price of one liter of liquefied gas has risen from 1.80 somoni in late July to 3.70 somoni.

Officials at the antimonopoly agency say the price hike has resulted from annual planned repairs to the liquefied-gas-producing plants in Kazakhstan, which provides the bulk of Tajikistan’s liquefied gas imports.  Kazakhstan has reportedly limited sales in connection with repairing work.

The source at the antimonopoly agency says Tajikistan’s monthly requirements in liquefied gas are 15,000 tons while the liquefied gas storage tanks can store totaling not more than 10,000 tons of liquefied gas.

According to the data of fuel supplying companies, some 40 percent of vehicles in Tajikistan run on liquefied gas.

Over the first seven months of this year, 43,900 tons of liquefied gas have been delivered to Tajikistan, which is 20,500 tons more than in the same period last year.

Over the past year, the number of liquefied natural gas (LNG) refueling stations in the country has reportedly been increased from 510 to 526.  The northern Sughd province alone has 230 LNG refueling stations.

The main suppliers of liquefied gas to Tajikistan are Zet Gaz, Muhammad Poulod (Sughd province), Gazpormneft-Tajikistan, Faroz, and Tojiron.