Early rains dampen fuel demand growth in June

NL CORRESPONDENT

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Early rains in several parts of the country dampened fuel consumption in June, with diesel slipping to negative territory again after two months of growth, according to provisional industry data.

After two months of robust consumption growth, petrol demand slowed to 2.3 per cent to 1.4 million tonnes in the first half of June, sales data of three state-owned fuel retailers, which control about 90 per cent of the market, showed.

Petrol demand had risen by close to 9 per cent in May.

Diesel saw a 4.8 per cent decline in consumption at 3.26 million tonnes between June 1 and June 15.

The demand for India’s most used fuel has rebounded since April ~ rising by nearly 4 per cent in April and 2 per cent in the following month.