Kazakh Energy Ministry intends to introduce differentiated prices for diesel in second half of August

NUR-SULTAN. Aug 3 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry has drafted orders for the introduction of differentiated prices for diesel fuel, Energy Minister Bolat Akchulakov said.

"The prices will be differentiated depending on residence, consumption volumes and type of vehicles. Today we will post these orders on the Open NPA [normative and legislative acts] webportal [for] a couple of weeks and after registration it will come into force a little later than in mid-August," Akchulakov told a Wednesday briefing.

It is planned that Kazakh citizens with driving licenses will be entitled to fill their vehicles with 100 liters of diesel a day at the current price of 230-260 tenge (475.79 tenge/$1). It is assumed that the limit for trucks will be 300 liters of diesel at the current price.

Other individuals will buy diesel at petrol stations at a price of approximately 450 tenge a liter.

He did not rule out reapplying similar experience to gasoline as well in case its shortages occur in the future.

Earlier President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the Kazakh government to sort out arrangements to export oil products to neighboring states to avoid diesel shortages.