Head of the capital's KLO filling station network Serhiy Zhytnyk reported that due to a shortage of fuel on the market, the price of autogas could rise to UAH 17/l, which will become a psychological limit for drivers.
“When gas becomes too expensive and its use loses meaning, this threshold is different for everyone. Some focus on the price at the pump, others on their car's consumption. At the same time, LPG consumption is about 10% higher than gasoline,” he explained.
A representative of one of the large LPG station networks suggests that on the weekend of August 24–27, the retail price of liquefied gas will reach UAH 18/l.
“The panic will subside, and the market will return to normal as soon as imports of liquefied gas resume,” Zhytnyk added, emphasizing that a reduction in retail sales by operators will also contribute to stabilization, as motorists will stop refueling with expensive fuel.
Artem Kuyun, an expert at the A-95 Consulting Group, believes that the problems for gas suppliers turned out to be more serious than forecasts. “The point is not even how to accurately assess the shortage of volumes, but that it is impossible to close it: the country has an acute shortage of railcars, and the existing Ukrzaliznytsia cannot use them effectively. The shortage of gas at filling stations is especially acute in the south and west. There is no fuel either at individual stations or in large networks,” Kuyun said.
According to his forecasts, the situation on the LPG market will not normalize before the third decade of September.
