Fuel shortage to end 'in two days'

[TonyC]

Fuel shortage will end in two days, minister promises

The fuel shortage will end in two days, as soon as more petroleum products are pumped into the market and sold at subsidized prices, Minister of Supply and Social Affairs Mohamed Abu Zeid promised on Friday.

The ministry will ensure that prices are controlled and resources are fairly distributed, and also ensure that fuel is not being sold on the black market, Abu Zeid told the state-run Al-Ahram newspaper.

Committees have been established to monitor gas stations throughout the day and ensure that fuel isn’t smuggled out to the black market, the minister continued. Rumors that the state would end fuel subsidies are false, he added.

He said coupons for butane have already been distributed in many governorates in preparation for applying a new coupon system for selling butane cylinders.

The ongoing fuel shortage has escalated over the past two weeks, leading to the temporary closure of several filling stations and bakeries as well as severe traffic congestion in Cairo on Thursday.

Authorities say they have seized a significant quantity of fuel that smugglers had intended to sell on the black market.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/fu ... r-promises

[BBLUX]

There we go. right near the end it mentioned Cairo. I wonder if this wonderful initiative and monitoring system will reach beyond the boundaries of Cairo and into the other Governorates like maybe Luxor? Coupons for butane cylinders? I think the local people would actually prefer to have all the empty cylinders they have sent in to be refilled returned to them so they can use them. There has been a backlog in the village here for over a week now.

[DJKeefy]

They have been saying this for over 6 months now

I think something is changing though, yesterday when I passed the petrol station on the way to the airport (first one on the right) there were armed police and army controlling the cars in and out of the place.

[DJKeefy]

Egypt gov says fuel crisis to end 'within days', rationing planned.

Egyptian officials have pledged a swift end to the nation's latest fuel shortages and the introduction of a rationing system to limit future crises.

Over the last two weeks, the nation's motorists have once again been queuing at petrol stations in Cairo and beyond as depots struggle to supply sufficient fuel. It is the fourth serious bout of shortages since the early 2011 uprising.

Minister of Supply and Internal Trade, Zeid Mohamed Abu Zeid, pledged on Thursday that the current crisis would be resolved "within two days".

In remarks published by the state-run Al-Ahram newspaper the following day, Abu Zeid said that additional supplies would be made available and admitted that profiteering had resulted in Egyptians paying over the odds for state-subsidised fuel. Future distribution would be closely monitored, he said.

Other initiatives to combat the persistent shortages have also been announced.

Finance minister Momtaz El-Said told the independent Egyptian newspaper Al-Shorouk on Friday that the government is ready to introduce a ration-card system for both diesel and petrol as soon as they compile an inventory of all vehicle-owners.

"Each person who carries a ration card and owns a car will be able to present proof to the rationing office and get coupons," El-Said added.

El-Said also reiterated his intention to completely phase out subsidies for Octane-95, the most expensive petrol, typically used by luxury cars. Critics have long contended that subididy on the fuel simply benefits the well-off. With the subsidy removed, the fuel will retail at LE4 per litre.

Source: http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/53485.aspx

[Chocolate Eclair]

Whats wrong with 4le per litre? it should enable the government to bring in more improvements as the revenue raised gives them more scope to spend money on much needed improvements. The price alone would then provide a more even supply, and maybe stop blackmarketing of benzine at the already price of 4-5le per litre. People that cannot get Banzine are willing to pay the Black market price so what makes them be against the 4le per litre pump price.

I would hae to refer to the UK petrol prices, but 4le is still only a third of the European price.

Regarding Bottled Gas, i have not been able to buy a gas bottle for 3 weeks now on the West Bank and have now 3 empty containers, I was helped out by a local restaurant, otherwise i would have been paying 45le for blackmarket stuff and maybe a bottle half filled with water.

But lets hope that things start to ease soon, and that regular supplies of benzine and gas and gas come on flow soon, its bad for business's and therefore bad for the Luxor economy.

[Goddess]

I don't get it?
A car is a luxury.
There are people that have ration cards and they have cars - therefore they need subsidised fuel?
Wish I could afford a car, and I don't even qualify for a ration card! Must be going about it the wrong way?

[BBLUX]

Yet again, little of this fuel issue will impact on Luxor...95 octane fuel is not available here and frankly is not needed by any vehicle that is used here. I did, just once, buy 95 in El Gouna just to give the car a bit of a treat, it had spent most of the previous 12 months running on 90 as that was all we could get in Luxor most of the time.

[Alistair1967]

Just for reference, standard 95 unleaded is around £1.38 per litre right now in my home town....

[Chocolate Eclair]

The first post was on 21st Sept, can anyone confirm the shortages have ended 3 days later?

[Chocolate Eclair]

Obviously this is an Egyptian two days, i was in Luxor yesterday and the queues were terrible, nothing has changed at all, only the fact the black market price has gone up!!

[Chocolate Eclair]

Oh Dear!!!! Who set this rumour going around, posted 21st September and nothing has changed, another piece of wishful thinking