Fuel prices rise for 4th consecutive day

New Delhi: Petrol price on Monday was hiked by 7 paise per litre and diesel by 18 paise for the fourth straight day as the international oil rates broke a nearly two-month-long hiatus in price revision.

Petrol price in Delhi on Monday was hiked to Rs 81.53 a litre from Rs 81.46 per litre, according to a price notification from oil marketing companies.

Similarly, diesel prices rose to Rs 71.25 a litre in Delhi from a level of Rs 71.07 a litre on Sunday.

State-owned fuel retailers started raising fuel prices from Friday.

In four days, petrol price has gone up by 47 paise and diesel rates have risen by 79 paise per litre.

Petrol prices had been static since September 22, and diesel rates hadn't changed since October 2.

Though retail pricing of petrol and diesel has been deregulated and oil marketing companies were following a daily price revision formula, the same was suspended for almost two months to prevent volatility in international oil markets from impacting fuel prices regularly during the pandemic.

But with crude on the boil again on news of a successful coronavirus vaccine launch soon, the OMCs have finally resorted to price increase again to cover for their under recovery on the sale of two petroleum products.

The benchmark Brent crude has crossed $45 a barrel on Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). It has remained at over $43 a barrel for most part of November.

The OMCs need almost 40 paise per litre increase in retail price of petrol and diesel to cover for $1 increase in crude. Going by this yardstick, product prices would have to be increased by upto Rs 2 per litre to cover under recovery on its sale.