Petrol sales rises 2.8% in September, diesel drops 2%

New Delhi: Petrol sales rose 2.8% year-on-year in September while diesel dropped 2%, signalling a slowdown in India's oil demand. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), used mainly for cooking in the country, rose 1%, according to the oil ministry data.

In the April-August period, diesel sales rose 1% year-on-year, petrol 8% and LPG 7%. The September sales growth for these three most consumed refined fuels in the country has slipped below the April-August average. Jet fuel sales increased 9.5% in September on the back of strong air traffic. The compounded annual growth rate for jet fuel has been 2% since 2019. It is 1.7% for diesel, 4.5% for LPG and 5.8% for petrol since 2019.

A slowdown in vehicle sales, rainfall and a switch to alternative fuels have contributed to weaker fuel consumption in September.