Minh Tam
Trading firms announced their price adjustments last Saturday, with a 12-kilogram container increasing by VND78,000 to VND490,000, a 45-kilogram container soaring to VND1.84 million and a 50-kilogram container leaping to nearly VND2.04 million.
They ascribed the retail price spike to a strong increase in global prices. The contract price of Saudi Aramco, the world’s biggest gas supplier, is US$1,162.5 per ton for delivery in December compared to the US$895 last month.
The retail price had earlier been forecast to go up this month, but the actual spike is too strong as the demand for gas for winter heating in European countries is picking up considerably.
After many months, gas prices have become volatile with the strongest price rise in 15 months. The retail price of VND490,000 per 12-kilogram container is a record high, surpassing the VND470,000-480,000 recorded in March 2012.
However, the contract price in March 2012 was US$1,205 per ton, even higher than this month’s US$1,162.5 while the import tax at both points of time is 5%.
Speaking to the Daily, many trading firms said such a price differential resulted from changes in the exchange rate of U.S. dollar against Vietnam dong, and premium.
The higher price has unnerved trading firms as consumers might switch to using less gas or other sources of energy to cope with high gas prices.
The Vietnam Gas Association has asked the Ministry of Finance to reduce the import tax from the current 5% to 0%.
Đăng ký: VietNam News