Are we underutilized or powerless?
Is the decrease in gasoline consumption necessarily a sign of the success of the energy policy?
The increase in gasoline consumption in Iran, which was in the range of 6% for many years, reached zero at 1,405 and minus 2% in November.
Before the government considers this change a success in energy policy, one must ask whether people are consuming less because of more expensive gasoline or are they forced to reduce driving because of increasing inflation and increasing car maintenance costs?
This reduction can be the result of four forces at the same time: price, livelihood pressure, the closure of the smuggling route and abnormal consumption through the control of free tickets and changing travel conditions.
Most consumption is provided at subsidized rates, and the third rate increase in September coincided with the end of summer trips and a 15% increase in CNG fuel.
On the other hand, the increase in CNG consumption due to the gas imbalance in the winter evening is just the transfer of the problem from one market to another.
Therefore, the decrease in gasoline consumption does not necessarily mean the success of the price policy, and until the exact contribution of each factor becomes clear through the publication of statistical details, the decision to raise the price of gasoline again may put additional pressure on households.
Full text.
The official channel of Donya Akhtaz newspaper.