Adequate fuel inventories to meet crop season demand: Govt

Bangladesh has petroleum inventories enough to meet the irrigation season demand for crop production, the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources said on Thursday.

At an inter-ministerial meeting, convened by the Ministry, it was noted that the country's demand for the crop season from November this year to May next year is about 19,39,370 metric tonnes of diesel and 51,034 metric tonnes of lube oil.

"Against the demand, the stock of the two items is adequate in the country," the Ministry said in a release, referring to the meeting's outcome. 

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, who presided over the meeting, said "the country witnesses an additional demand for diesel and electricity during the irrigation season". "Especially, the northern region gets an additional demand for the item," he said. 

Hamid said that his ministry would ensure adequate supply of diesel and electricity to meet the growing demand for the crop season.

According to the Ministry, diesel constitutes 73.11% of the total petroleum consumption in the country, of which 18% is consumed by the agriculture sector alone for irrigation purposes.

Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) transports 84% of petroleum through riverine route while 9% through rail network and 7% via roads. 

Prime Minister's Energy Advisor Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Senior Secretary of Energy Anisul Rahman, Bangladesh Power Development Board Chairman Belayet Hossain and top officials from the Shipping and Agriculture ministries, and Border Guards attended the meeting.