Natural gas shortage burdens LPG

LAHORE – LPG prices in local market increased by around Rs 3 per kg owing to an increase by PARCO, said the LPG industry stakeholders on Thursday, while All Pakistan LPG Distributors Association Chairman Attiq Khan said that there was no shortage in the market and prices will remain stable in the future. Earlier, PARCO was selling LPG for Rs 87,000 per tonnes while other LPG producers including OGDCL and PPL were selling LPG for Rs 93,000 per tonnes, but now PARCO has also increased the price at the level of other LPG producers, said Khan. Khan said the price in local market was stable owing to a timely import of LPG by the industry. He said demand of LPG has increased by 50 to 70 percent because of natural gas’s closure.
“The domestic users are depending upon LPG and it has resulted in an increase in demand, which is being met through the import,” Khan said adding that around 11,800 tonnes of LPG was imported by various companies including JJVL. He said JJVL imported 2,800 tonnes of LPG and it bridged the demand and supply gap, otherwise LPG prices would have crossed Rs 150 per Kg. He said some elements in the industry were creating misperception by giving an impression of increase in prices.