New Delhi: India’s fuel demand, except ATF, has returned to pre-COVID levels and a reflating economy will help consumption grow in near future, head of the nation’s top oil firm said on Tuesday.
Fuel sales had fallen by a record 45.8 per cent in April last year when a nationwide lockdown was imposed to check the spread of coronavirus infections. Demand started to recover with the easing of lockdown restrictions, with petrol returning to normal growth first and now diesel too is back at pre-COVID levels.
”Expect for ATF, we have touched normal demand,” Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Chairman Shrikant Madhav Vaidya said. ”We are back on track.” While petrol sales had reached pre-COVID levels a few months back, diesel was up 7.4 per cent year-on-year in the first half of March. LPG sales showed growth even during the lockdown.
With airlines not operating all flights, ATF sales remain below normal.
