Selasa 20 Apr 2021 06:09 WIB

Indonesia's Fuel Imports Increased in March

The world oil price has increased quite sharply from March 2020 to March 2021

Rep: Intan Pratiwi/ Red: Elba Damhuri

Foto: Republika/Rusdy Nurdiansyah

Pertamina's workers are walking down in the Pertamina's refinery

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded an increase in oil imports in March 2021, 74.7 percent compared to February 2021. The increase in oil imports was due to an increase in fuel (BBM) consumption.

Pertamina's President Director Nicke Widyawati explained there was indeed an increase in oil imports from March 2020 to March 2021 if viewed from the value of oil import.

The world oil price has increased quite sharply from March 2020 compared to March 2021. This has caused the oil import figure in March 2021 to experience an increase in value.

"In terms of volume, fuel imports fell in March this year compared to March last year. This increase is due to the increase in global fuel prices in 2021," said Nicke, Monday (19/4).

Indeed, said Nicke, there was an increase in fuel imports from February to March. Nicke explained that there was an increase in fuel consumption in March, reaching 17-18 percent.

Pertamina's Corporate Secretary Patra Niaga, Putut Andrianto, explained that on a quarterly basis, the average fuel consumption has shown a recovery.

The average consumption of fuel in the first quarter of 2021 is 83,698 kiloliters per day. This figure is indeed lower than the realization in the first quarter of last year when the pandemic had not yet entered Indonesia, which was 90,419 kiloliters per day.

For diesel consumption in the first quarter of this year amounted to 38,161 kiloliters per day. This figure is lower than last year's first quarter consumption of 40,822 kiloliters per day.

"For sales comparison, gasoline still mines 7.4 percent and for diesel mines 6.5 percent," said Putut.

BPS recorded the total volume of RON 88 fuel imports at 622.12 thousand tons in March. This figure is up from the realization of RON 88 fuel imports in February at 412.05 thousand tons.

BBM RON 90-97 also has an increase. BPS noted that the increase in imports of RON 90-97 fuel increased by 54.87 percent, from 452.53 thousand tons in February to 700.84 thousand tons in March 2021.

On a month to month basis, oil and gas imports rose 74.74 percent and year on year oil and gas imports rose 41.87 percent.