KRI seeks double crude allocation for local use
Shafaq News- Erbil
The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) is entitled to more than twice the 50,000 barrels of crude oil allocated for local consumption, with the existing amount set under a temporary agreement, acting Natural Resources Minister Kamal Mohammed Salih stated on Wednesday.
Salih was responding to Iraqi Oil Minister Basim Mohammed, who said Baghdad was ready to supply Erbil with the needed gasoline if the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) hands over the 50,000 barrels of crude designated for local consumption. “If the Iraqi Oil Ministry is ready to discuss providing all types of fuel at subsidized prices according to the KRI’s share of Iraq’s population, we are ready to negotiate while taking the KRI constitutional rights into account,” Salih said in a statement.
Erbil and Duhok have faced severe gasoline shortages since mid-July, with supplies running out at many filling stations despite a KRG decision to reduce fuel prices.
Subsidized regular gasoline is priced at 750 Iraqi dinars ($0.57) per liter, while commercial gasoline is capped at 850 dinars ($0.65), but prices have risen sharply amid the shortage. In Erbil, regular gasoline reached 1,575 dinars ($1.20) per liter, improved gasoline 1,950 dinars ($1.49), and super gasoline 2,150 dinars ($1.64), with some stations charging as much as 2,750 dinars ($2.10) for super gasoline.
