Gas price increase: People switch to other fuels

(Baonghean) - The 2012 gas price increase started on January 1, with an increase of 24,000 - 25,000 VND/cylinder; a few days later (January 5), it increased by 8,000 VND/cylinder. On February 1, dealers in Vinh City simultaneously increased the price to 38,000 VND/cylinder. And on March 1, it continued to skyrocket by 50,000 VND/cylinder. When the gas price reached consumers, the average price was about 480,000 VND/12 kg cylinder...

To reduce the impact of the world gas price increase on the domestic market, the Ministry of Finance has decided to reduce the gas import tax to 0%, instead of the previously applied 5%. The adjustment of gas import tax officially took effect from March 2, 2012. In addition, the Ministry of Finance also issued an official dispatch requesting gas wholesale businesses to immediately reduce domestic gas prices and direct general agents, agents, and retail stores in the system to reduce prices corresponding to the reduction of import tax. The implementation period is also from March 2.

Just one day after the Ministry of Finance intervened by reducing import tax, gas prices in the market have "cooled down". Since March 4, Petrolimex Gas Center in Vinh City - under Nghe An Petroleum Company has announced a price reduction of 18,000 VND/cylinder, accordingly, the retail price to consumers is 477,000 VND/12 kg cylinder, 517,000 VND/13 kg cylinder (On March 1, this company increased from 445,000 VND to 495,000 VND/12 kg cylinder). In addition, another brand such as Thang Long gas, DatViet Gas, Dai Hai Petro... also reduced 16,000 VND/12 kg cylinder (from 480,000 to 464,000 VND/12 kg cylinder compared to the gas price just increased on March 1). Thus, since the beginning of the year (within 2 months), gas prices have been adjusted up 4 times and down 1 time. And the current reduction of 16,000 - 18,000 VND/cylinder is only to support consumers, because gas prices are still higher than at the end of February by about 36,000 VND/cylinder; compared to the end of 2011, it was 132,000 VND/cylinder.

The continuous "dancing" of gas prices in the first months of the year has left many people "dizzy". And in the context of everything increasing in price, many housewives have to think about finding a "way out" to limit some of the pressure on the family spending "budget".

Ms. Tran Thi Hong (in Tan Tien block, Hung Dung ward) said: "Before Tet, my family considered choosing an induction cooker to replace a gas cooker, because we heard a lot of information about using gas being unsafe. Now that we see the high price of gas, we decided to choose an induction cooker instead, because the cost difference compared to using gas is lower, ensuring safety and convenience in use."

Ms. Nguyen Thi Loan (a retired cadre in Hamlet 16, Hung Loc Commune, Vinh City) also shared her experience: "Every time I change the gas, I feel sorry, so sometimes I don't dare to cook dishes that require a long cooking time. When cooking, I usually turn the heat down to the bottom of the pot, prepare the ingredients before turning on the stove... People often don't pay attention to the small things, but changing the way they cook is the best way to save gas."

In concentrated boarding houses, workers in many boarding houses also replace gas by purchasing honeycomb coal stoves. Ms. Nguyen Thi Dung (worker of Minh Anh - Kim Lien Garment Joint Stock Company) said: Although the boarding house is small and narrow, consumer goods are competing to increase in price, salaries are still "stuck in place", unable to cover daily expenses, so after Tet, our boarding house agreed to pool money, turn a corner of the hallway into a common kitchen, and buy 3 honeycomb coal stoves. This method is a bit inconvenient but also saves some costs...".

For many years now, gas has become an essential commodity in the daily life of people not only in the city but also in rural areas. Therefore, the "dizzying" increase in gas prices in a short period of time has increased the burden on consumers.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet (Hamlet 5, Nam Cuong Commune, Nam Dan) shared: "Although living in the countryside, the economy is still difficult, but 2 years ago, my family also bought a gas stove to make cooking less difficult during the harvest season. My family has 6 people, on average it takes more than 3 months to use up a 12 kg gas tank, because I still use a wood stove to cook bran for cows and pigs. But since Tet until now, the price of gas has increased dramatically! To save money, I have returned to using a wood stove completely. When the price of gas decreases and stabilizes like before, we will feel secure to use it again."

To cope with the high gas prices, many families have limited their gas usage to save costs. This has more or less affected the gas business of suppliers and agents... According to Mr. Nguyen Sy Tien - owner of Hascom Petro gas store (on Tue Tinh street - Hung Dung ward): "The store's consumption has decreased significantly. Many customers ask the price first when ordering gas, and constantly wonder why it is so high; while the paradox of "high increase, low decrease" is always a difficult problem to explain. In previous years, we consumed an average of 100 cylinders per month, but from the beginning of the year until now, we have only sold about 40 cylinders. The profit is not enough to pay workers' salaries and travel expenses...".

It can be said that the sudden increase in gas prices can cause more problems, illegal gas filling and fake gas will have more opportunities to develop and the trading of gas with insufficient weight and lack of safety is very likely to happen. To reduce the burden and worries of consumers in the "gas price storm", it is necessary to have stricter management by competent agencies to avoid the phenomenon of price speculation, buying high prices but poor quality goods... leading to disadvantages for the people.

Ngoc Anh