24 AUGUST 2025

FUEL oil reference prices indicated a small decrease in the domestic market for the week ending 28 August compared to those of the previous week.

The set reference prices were K2,900 per litre of Octane 92 and K2,955 for Octane 95, K2,615 for diesel and K3,235 for premium diesel last week ending 21 August. The prices for a week ending 28 August declined to K2,915 for Octane 92 and K2,995 for Octane 95, K2,540 for diesel and K3,145 for premium diesel.

The price index set by Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS), the pricing basis for many refined products in Southeast Asia, influences the domestic fuel prices, according to the Supervisory Committee on Oil Import, Storage and Distribution of Fuel Oil.

Under the Supervisory Committee on Oil Import, Storage and Distribution of Fuel Oil, the Petroleum Products Regulatory Department has been issuing daily reference wholesale prices to ensure price stability for energy consumers.

The committee is inspecting the fuel stations to see whether they are overcharging. Authorities are taking action against those retailers of fuel stations under the Petroleum and Petroleum Products Law 2017 if they are found overcharging rather than the set reference rate.

As per the statement, 90 per cent of fuel oil in Myanmar is imported, while the remaining 10 per cent is produced locally. Domestic fuel prices are highly correlated with international prices. The State is steering the market to mitigate the loss experienced by the importers, sellers and energy consumers. Consequently, the government is trying to distribute the oil at a reasonable price compared to that of regional countries.

Some countries levied higher tax rates and hiked oil prices than Myanmar’s. However, Malaysia’s oil sector receives government subsidies, and the prices are about 60 per cent lower than those of Myanmar. Every country lays down different policy patterns to fix oil prices, the Supervisory Committee on Oil Import, Storage and Distribution of Fuel Oil stated. — NN/KK