The government postpones until January 1, 2023 the sale of only two types of gasoline

The government has issued a supreme decree postponing the entry into force until January 1, 2023 of the rule that establishes the use and commercialization of only two types of gasoline and gasohol on a national scale, in order not to affect the economy of Peruvian families. in the face of the global energy crisis.

According to a document published in the Extraordinary Edition of the Legal Regulations of the Official Gazette of El Peruano, it is intended to amend Article 1 of the Supreme Decree No. 014-2021-EM, the same that established the use and sale of regular gasoline, regular gasolinepremium gasoline and premium gasoline from July 1 next year.

The rule also changes article 2 of the aforementioned supreme decree and states that from 2023 it will be sold petrol and low sulfur gas wells except in the departments of Loreto and Ucayali.

Since the end of 2021, there has been a significant increase in prices for fuelwhich increased during the first months of 2022.

Among the arguments in support of Imperial Decree No. 006-2022-EM, it is indicated that the international context may affect the economy of consumers, which will be exacerbated by the possible migration towards the use and commercialization of conventional gasoline, regular gasoline, premium gasoline and premium gasoline.

Supreme Decree No. 014-2021-EM, which provided for the sale of only two types of gasoline and gasoline, was adopted in May 2021, a few months before President Pedro Castillo came to power.

new reprieve

Last Tuesday, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (PCM) announced the first extension of the deadline for the start of sales of only petrol Regular and Premium on faucets. In a Twitter statement, the PCM indicated that the measure would come into effect from August 30, 2022, rather than July 1 as planned.

“Public trade enterprises (faucets) have an additional 30 days to comply with the above standard. In other words, from August 30, 2022, only fuel will be sold in taps: regular and premium,” the report says.

As of the new set date (January 1, 2023) petrol Premium will be rated at 96 octane and will group 95, 97 and 98 octane petrols, while regular petrol, which will be sold as 91 octane, will include 84 and 90 octane petrols.

Peruvians will pay up to S/3 more per gallon

Switching to the sale of only two types of gasoline does not exactly mean an increase in fuel prices, since they are determined in the production chain taking into account the international price, but it will mean an impact on the budget allocated by drivers. buying gasoline.

Macroconsult economist Diego Rosales explained to RPP that those Peruvians who buy the cheapest gasoline, Gasohol 84, will suffer the most.

From January 2023 regular gasoline will have an octane rating of 91, groups 84 and 90, and premium gasoline will have an octane rating of 96, which includes octane numbers 95, 97 and 98.

“Measurement of this type causes those who buy 84 octane gasoline to switch or be forced to buy 91 octane before the simplification measures are taken, and this will lead to this higher price of about 2 soles, up to 3 salts per gallon. We are talking about charging the user additional costs that they cannot bear due to rising prices,” he said.

This even indicates that some drivers motor vehicles will have to incur additional costs to adapt it to the consumption of available types of gasoline.

Rosales recalled that this measure was introduced to simplify the fuel market, since five types of gas stations are sold in the country. The measure will remove the cheapest grade of gasoline from supply, which the specialist warns is not ideal in a high-inflation environment.

“In this context high prices This is an untimely measure, which, although it has very good goals, in the short term will lead to an increase in certain octane numbers of gasoline engines,” he said.

Macroconsult data claims that consumers in the regions will suffer the most from this measure. Puno, Piura and Lambayequeas they account for more than half of Peru’s 84-gasoline consumption.