Covid-19 lockdown: Petrol sales fell by 61% in April, diesel by 57%

ATF sales declined by about 92% during the month, showed provisional industry data

Petrol and diesel sales in April fell by 61 per cent and 57 per cent, respectively, from a year earlier, two industry sources told Reuters, though declines eased slightly later in the month when some transportation and industrial activity resumed.

State-owned oil marketing companies — Indian Oil Corp , Hindustan Petroleum Corp and Bharat Petroleum — own about 90 per cent of the country's retail fuel outlets. These retailers' petrol and diesel sales in the first half of April declined by 61 per cent and 64 per cent, respectively, as a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus brought economic activity to a standstill.

Overall, fuel sales during the month fell 50 per cent from a year earlier, according to provisional industry data provided by two Reuters sources who did not wish to be named.

India's overall refined fuel demand includes consumption of fuel oil, bitumen and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) sales in April declined by about 92 per cent, showed the provisional industry data.