DUSHANBE, December 30, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Fuel stations in Dushanbe have put the price of 92-octane gasoline down and they are currently selling 92-octane gasoline for 6.75 somoni per liter.  Last week, the price of one liter of 92-octane gasoline was 7.20 somoni in Dushanbe.

The Antimonopoly Agency under the Government of Tajikistan this week has endorsed the price of 92-octane gasoline being sold in the country through a chain of fuel stations operated by Gazpromneft Tajikistan.

Since Gazpormneft Tajikistan is on the register of monopolists it must coordinate new prices with the antimonopoly commission.  The source says the Antimonopoly Agency has analyzed validity of economic calculations for prices and approved them.

“In the near future, the gasoline prices are expected to remain stable in Tajikistan,” the source added.

We will recall that Tajikistan was exempted from paying Russian tariffs on oil and gas exports from 1995-2010.  On May 1, 2010, Russia cancelled Tajikistan''s tax exemption and the Russian government has regulated the export duty on light oil since the beginning of this year.  A sudden spike was reported in May 2011, when export duty for Russian gasoline rose 44 percent as compared with April.

By Russian government’s decree export duty on light oil was decreased from US$271.50 per ton to US$259.30 beginning on November 1, 2011.  The export duty for gasoline was decreased from US$370.20 to US$353.70.

It is to be noted that it was the fourth decrease in export duty for Russian oil products this year.  The first decrease in export duty for Russian oil products was reported on July 1 this year, when the export duty on light oil decreased from US$309.60 to US$298.20 per ton and the export duty for gasoline was decreased from US$415.80 to US$400.50, the second decrease was reported on August 1, when Russia decreased export duty on light oil from US$298.20 per ton to US$293.60 and the export duty for gasoline from US$400.50 to US$394.40, and the third decrease was reported on October 1, when Russia decreased export duty on light oil was from US$297.00 per ton to US$271.50 and the export duty for gasoline was decreased from US$399.00 to US$370.20.

In September, Russia, however, raised export duty on light oil is raised from US$293.60 per ton to US$297.50 and the export duty for gasoline from US$394.40 to US$399.70.

In December, the export duty on light was increased from US$259.30 to US$268.30, while the export duty for gasoline was increased from US$353.70 to US$365.90.

Russian media outlets report that export duties on light oil and gasoline are expected to be decreased in January 2012. 

Russia now accounts for some 90 percent of Tajikistan’s fuel imports and an average gasoline price in Tajikistan has reportedly risen 59 percent since the beginning of this year.

Many companies and individual entrepreneurs now work in Tajikistan’s fuel market, but only six of them are dominants, namely limited liability companies Gazpormneft Tajikistan, Nouri Dilshod, Anahito, Ozod International, Khonaqo Nefteprodukt (oil product), and Umed-88.