Diesel leads rise in auto fuel consumption in October

Demand for auto fuels, cooking gas and bitumen shrugged off the lockdown-induced consumption slowdown and outpaced previous year levels in October.

According to data compiled by the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell, diesel consumption rose to 7 mt last month from 6.5 mt in October 2019 on the back of increased truck movement along popular routes in October compared to September.

Consumption of cooking gas, or LPG, was 3 per cent higher at 2.4 million tonnes (mt) last month, against 2.3 mt in October 2019.

Petrol consumption rose 5 per cent to 2.7 mt (2.5 mt).

According to data collated by the Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT), there was near-10 per cent growth in fleet utilisation and 10-12 per cent increase in truck rentals on trunk routes.

Rise in manufacturing

This was driven by an upswing in manufacturing due to the peak festival season, said SP Singh, Senior Fellow and Coordinator, IFTRT. The quantum jump in kharif crop harvest and MSMEs joining the expansion in factory output also led to this growth.

Jet fuel down still

Fuel consumption had trailed for most months this year because of the pandemic and lockdowns. This trend reversed in October, but aviation turbine fuel (ATF), or jet fuel, continued to trail last year’s levels due to the cancellation of flights during the lockdown.

At 0.35 mt, ATF consumption last month was half of October 2019.

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