India monsoon rains dent state retailers' diesel sales
Indian state retailers' diesel sales fell in the first half of September from the previous month, preliminary sales data showed on Monday, as monsoon rains hit industrial activity and mobility.
Fuel demand in India, the world's third-biggest oil importer and consumer, typically falls during the four-month monsoon season beginning in June as parts of the country are affected by heavy floods.
State retailers sold 2.4 MM tonnes of diesel in the first half of September, down 4% from the same period in August and by 12.3% from a year earlier, the data showed. Diesel is mostly used by trucks and commercial vehicles.
Sales of gasoline, primarily used in passenger vehicles, remained flat at 1.23 MMt. However gasoline sales was down 5.1% from the first of September last year, the data showed.
Apart from restricting mobility, monsoon rains also hit demand from the agriculture sector as farmers use gasoil-fired generators for irrigation.
Gasoil consumption is directly linked to industrial activity in Asia's third-largest economy.
State retailers Indian Oil Corp., Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. and Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd. own about 90% of the country's retail fuel outlets.
The four state fuel retailers sold 1.32 MMt of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the first half of September, up 3.3% from the previous month and down 2.9% from last year.
Aviation fuel sales at 303,600 t were down 1.1% from the last month, the data showed.
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