By Hlaing / MPA
According to the local residents, it has taken about 4 days of the shortage of fuel and it is even difficult to purchase in Mandalay city, Mandalay region.
The local residents said that it was difficult to purchase fuel in most of the gas stations in Mandalay starting from 29 July 2024 because the motorcars wouldn’t be able to enter Mandalay city due to the flooding across Myanmar.
“92 gasoline can’t be purchased as much as necessary. In the big gas stations, its price is about 4,500 or 5,000 MMK. Even so, we can’t buy as much as we need in the big gas stations. They sell just one liter for a motorbike. In the small black-market shops, we have to pay about 6,000 MMK for a bottle which does not contain 1 liter fully,” a 23-years-old woman from the west ward of Than Hlet Maw, Mahaaungmye township.
She continued explaining that previously it was around 2,700 MMK for a liter of 92 gasoline in Mandalay, but now they have to pay around 5,000 MMK.
The locals said that some people are queuing by spending a night near the gas station due to such restrictions on selling the engine oil.
“We get just one liter after queuing for 3 hours in the scorching sun. And one liter is just nothing. people have been queuing in front of the gas station since before the rising sun today (1 August). We have to queue like that even in the small shops in a small ward,” a woman from Chanmyathazi township queued to buy the fuel.
Even though the reference rate of SAC issued at 1 August 2024 is 2,630 MMK per 1 liter of 92 gasoline and 2,750 MMK for 1 liter of 95 gasoline, the price doubles at the external market.
In Mandalay city, most popular gas stations in Mahaaungmyay, Chanmyathazi, Chanayethazan, Aungmyaethazan, Amarapura, Pyigyidagun and Patheingyi townships are pausing selling fuel currently and only BOC gas stations are selling fuel with the rate of 1 liter per a motorbike with 5,000 MMK and 50,000 MMK per a car.
According to the locals, the daily jobs of the grassroots are facing difficulties because of the rise of fuel prices and unavailability of necessary amounts in Mandalay city.
Fuel businessmen assume that fuel shortage like this is happening not only in Mandalay city but also in the townships of Yangon, Taunggyi and Ayeyarwaddy regions as well as Monywa township of Sagaing region, and the main causes might be the inability to sell US dollars by SAC to the businessmen, inflation and getting closer of the battles to the major cities.
“The first point is that the US dollar is becoming rare. It is unprofitable to sell fuel back by importing with the external price. The fuel import is also becoming decreased. The demand among the people is increasing. Now, the condition is people are queuing to get fuel,” an fuel businessman who doesn’t reveal his name said.
Currently the battles between SAC’s army and local revolutionary forces are intensifying in Singu, Madayar, Thabeikkyin, Patheingyi, Pyin Oo Lwin and Mogok townships near Mandalay city and SAC’s army is trying to reoccupy Singu township which have been seized by revolutionary forces via navy and airway routes.
“Fuel traders do not dare to sell all of the fuels they have left. I think that they want to store the fuel instead of selling it all since the battles are getting closer to such a big Mandalay city,” a CDM medical student from Mandalay University of Medicine assumes.
Within over 3 years of military coup, the value of Myanmar Kyat has been declining, and it is 5,400 MMK per 1 US dollar and 68 lakhs per 1 tical of 24 karat gold today (1 August) as well as the fuel and commodity prices which are essential for daily lives are soaring either.
Although the fuel shortage is happening across Myanmar, the SAC-controlled Supervisory Committee of the Import, Storage and Distribution of Motor Fuel announced that fuel is available enough until the end of August.
