New Delhi, May 16: Petrol consumption rose nearly 10 percent in the first fortnight of May, as summer travel boosted fuel demand, according to provisional sales data from state-owned fuel retailers.
Petrol consumption rose to 1.5 million tonnes during May 1-15, as against 1.37 million tonnes sold a year ago. Its demand was 10.5 percent higher than the 1.36 million tonnes consumed during May 1-15, 2023, and nearly 46 percent higher than the Covid-hit first fortnight of May 2021.
Diesel sales rose 2 percent to 3.36 million tonnes, data from three state-owned fuel retailers that control nearly 90 percent of the fuel market showed. Consumption of the most widely used fuel in India has risen again from the previous month.
Demand for diesel, the lifeline of transport and the rural agricultural economy, saw a growth of only 2 percent in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025. Diesel consumption rose to 8.23 million tonnes in April, nearly 4 per cent higher than the demand in the year-ago period.
During May 1-15, diesel sales were 2 percent higher than the consumption of 3.29 million tonnes in the same period last year. It was 1.3 per cent higher than May 1-15, 2023, and 16 per cent higher than the Covid-affected first fortnight of May 2021.
Diesel sales were 5.2 per cent higher than the 3.19 million tonnes consumed in the first half of April 2025. The onset of summer increases demand for irrigation in rural areas as well as air-conditioners in urban areas. Industry officials said diesel sales have slowed in the past few months, leading to speculation about its future.
The growth since April has been driven by a surge in consumption for election campaigning a year ago.
Jet fuel (ATF) consumption growth declined 1.1 percent to 3,27,900 tonnes in May 1-15, as flight restrictions in parts of northern and western India due to tensions with Pakistan dampened demand.
ATF sales were 8.6 per cent higher than consumption in May 1-15, 2023, and 11 percent higher than the first half of May 2021.
Month-on-month, jet fuel consumption was 5.8 percent lower than April 1-15 at 3,48,100 tonnes.
LPG consumption remained strong with a 10.4 percent rise in the first fortnight of May to 1.34 million tonnes, driven by Ujjwala connections. Since 2019, domestic cooking gas consumption has increased by the equivalent of almost 5 months.
Cooking gas sales were 10 percent higher than the consumption of 1.22 million tonnes during May 1-15, 2023, and 33 percent higher than the 1.01 million tonnes in the first half of May 2021. LPG sales were 7.3 percent higher than the 1.25 million tonnes during April 1-15.
