Eighty-two cents separate the price of gasoline sold by Petrobras and gasoline imported from outside Brazil. For distributors, bringing fuel from abroad is more expensive than buying it from Petrobras since April 25, so there are 50 days in the fuel importers’ bills.
The last adjustment in the value of gasoline was announced on March 10 and went into effect the following day. The rise was 18.7% exactly two weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, starting a conflict that has put pressure on oil prices for months.
It’s 95 days without changing the price. This is the longest period since 2019. Both in 2021 and 2022, the longest interval without readjustments – more or less – had been 58 days. Interlocutors from the fuel market told the CNN that all elements point to an imminent readjustment.
Among these elements are the defense of José Mauro Coelho, current president of the company, and of its executives for the maintenance of the international equality policy created during the Temer government, when Pedro Parente presided over the state-owned company.
In addition, diesel was lagged exactly the same 50 days until the readjustment came, as shown by the CNN . There is also a growing demand for the fuel in the coming months, which is historic, in addition to the hurricane season that could impact American and Caribbean refineries.
Also in lag, diesel is seen by market agents heard by the CNN as the most likely target of a price increase. The fact is that, although the lag is more recent and the price of fuel has already been increased by Petrobras in May, there is a risk of a global fuel crisis.
The argument for the price increase is that Brazilian distributors would not be able to import the fuel with such a big difference. According to the Brazilian Association of Fuel Importers, Abicom, the lag reaches 16% of the price of diesel, or 95 cents. In the opinion of experts, both the price of gasoline abroad, as well as diesel, tend to rise even more.
Source: CNN Brasil
