Experts have called the culprits in the rising price of fuel

15 November 2017

Opinions of participants of the market have dispersed

Russia is continuing rapid increase in fuel prices. This applies to retail prices at the filling stations, and quotations on the wholesale market. Since the beginning of November, the price of AI-92 gasoline jumped 3.1 percent to 43 207 rubles per ton. During the same period of mark of AI-95 went up 2 %, rising to 45 699 rubles per ton.

Experts referred to several key reasons for the record high price increases. One of them touches the stop part of the lines at the Moscow refinery (refinery), owned by "Gazprom oil". According to calculations of the Agency "analysis of commodity markets", in November, delivery may be reduced by 50-60 thousand tons. Typically refinery supplies about 40% of fuel supplies in the Moscow region, producing in average of 216 thousand tons of fuel per month.

However, representatives of the Federal Antimonopoly service believe that the market does not observe the lack of fuel, and the prices are inflated as the result of speculative actions of some players. This convinced the head of Department of regulation of fuel and energy complex FAS Dmitry Makhonin. In particular, he noted that the price of oil increased due to the fact that speculators bought a large amount of gasoline the traders going to sell at a higher price.

Another view was presented by the head of the Russian fuel Union (RTS) Evgenie Arkusha.
He is convinced that a key reason for the growth of price is constant growth of the tax burden.
According to Arkose, partial suspension of the Moscow refinery can not have a significant effect on the increase in gasoline prices. "Moscow plant of impact immediate. The stopping of such a large plant and a drop-down, as we were told of his leadership, 50 thousand tons of naturally made", — said the head of RTS.

In addition, Evgeny Arkusha drew attention to the fact that the oil price in the international market has increased, but contrary to the usual trend, the ruble is not strengthened. The head of the RTS believes that the price of gasoline will continue to rise in 2018: "unfortunately, the rise in wholesale prices, significantly outpacing the growth of retail, makes it impossible to reduce the retail price.
Next year, another increase in excise taxes is expected to increase twice-a-day: January 1,
and from 1 July".