Kazakhstan Imposes Another Six-Month Ban On Export Of Fuel By Road

ASTANA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd January, 2023) The Kazakh authorities decided on Sunday to once again impose a six-month ban on the export of oil products by road starting from February 1.

Astana has already imposed a similar ban on the export of petroleum products by road several times. The recent six-month ban was introduced in July 2022.

"To impose a six-month ban on the export of gasoline, diesel fuel and certain types of petroleum from the territory of Kazakhstan by road," a government order read.

The document was signed by the Kazakh ministries of energy, finance, internal affairs and the national security committee.

The measure is aimed at ensuring stability of Kazakhstan's national economy and preventing shortages of petroleum products in the domestic market, given that gasoline and diesel fuel in the country are cheaper than in neighboring Russia and Kyrgyzstan due to state regulation of marginal prices, the Kazakh Energy Ministry said.

In particular, this price disparity leads to fuel and lubricants being "washed out" by a large flow of transit transport in the border regions, as well as by residents of neighboring regions. Moreover, a large difference in retail prices for fuel and lubricants results in the emergence of various schemes of overflow of Kazakh oil products to neighboring countries.