The Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin approved a ban on gasoline exports from March 1, the RBC reported, citing sources today.
The restrictions will be in effect for six months, but will not affect the agreed volumes of supplies to the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan), Mongolia, Uzbekistan, as well as the unrecognized occupied territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The ban is reportedly due the higher demand for fuel in Russia, associated with spring field works, scheduled repairs at oil refineries and summer holidays.
Exchange trade prices for AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline, as well as summer diesel fuel, have increased by 8-23% year-to-date in Russia, while in the wholesale segment the growth rate of gasoline prices was lower - 1.6-6%, while diesel became cheaper.
Last year, Russia introduced a ban on gasoline exports from September 21 to November 17. The Minister of Energy Zhurabek Mirzamakhmudov, reported that this affected the fuel situation in the country.
After signing an intergovernmental agreement, Uzbekistan received the first shipments of Russian gasoline in November. In total, 371 thousand tons of gasoline were planned to be imported.
