Ahmedabad: Gujarat has witnessed a sharp increase in fuel demand during the first 28 days of May, with retail diesel sales surging by 42.6% compared to the same period last year. This rapid growth has prompted public sector oil marketing companies, including IndianOil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum, to scale up their logistics and supply operations to prevent shortages.
According to data released by these three state-run fuel retailers, diesel sales in the state jumped to 6.26 lakh kilolitres between May 1 and May 28, up from 4.39 lakh kilolitres during the identical timeframe last year.
District-Wise Growth Highlights
A district-wise analysis reveals that Kutch experienced the highest growth rate, with diesel consumption soaring by 75.9%. Other districts with massive growth included Botad at 72.3%, Gir Somnath at 72.2%, Banaskantha at 69.4%, and Junagadh at 64.1%. These areas easily outpaced the state average, indicating robust demand across farming and manufacturing zones alike.
Top Districts by Volume
- Kutch: Nearly 66,000 kilolitres
- Ahmedabad: 61,271 kilolitres
- Surat: 52,358 kilolitres
- Vadodara: 35,285 kilolitres
Reasons Behind the Demand Spike
Oil marketing companies stated that the demand spike is largely due to seasonal tilling and harvesting in rural sectors. Additionally, the companies noted that buyers are shifting towards public sector fuel stations because of price differences with private suppliers. Bulk institutional and commercial consumers are also choosing to purchase directly from retail pumps.
Measures to Manage Supply
To manage this pressure, the three public sector retailers are utilising their nationwide network of terminals, depots, pipelines, cooking gas bottling plants, and retail outlets. Logistics teams, transport vehicles, and terminal facilities are operating 24 hours a day. The firms are also working alongside state government authorities to ensure smooth logistics. The companies confirmed they hold sufficient stocks of petrol, diesel, and cooking gas, advising citizens against panic buying as supply chains remain fully operational.
