Petrol sales rise by 10%, diesel goes off the boil

Petrol consumption spiked by 10 per cent in the first half of May as summer season travel led to a surge in demand for the fuel, according to provisional sales data of state-owned fuel retailers.

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Petrol consumption rose to 1.5 million tonne during May 1-15 from 1.37 million tonne sales a year back. Its demand was up 10.5 per cent over consumption of 1.36 million tonne in May 1-15, 2023 and nearly 46 per cent higher than Covid-marred first fortnight of May 2021.

Diesel sales were up 2 per cent to 3.36 million tonne, the data of three state-owned fuel retailers, who control about 90 per cent of the fuel market, showed. The consumption of India's most used fuel has rebounded since last month; saw just 2 per cent growth in demand in fiscal year ended March 31, 2025.