Kazakhstan plans to extend restrictions on the export of diesel, gasoline and specific petroleum products by another six months starting from February 14, 2024, a draft document by the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan shows. 

A joint draft order by the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Finance, the Interior Ministry and the Committee for National Security of Kazakhstan on the extension of the ban on the export of diesel, gasoline and specific petroleum products by road for six more months starting from February 14 next year is posted for public discussion on the Open NPA website until December 19, 2023. 

An exception will be the export of fuel in gas tanks provided by the vehicle manufacturer and aviation fuel for carrying out research works.

The document authors justify the decision to extend the fuel export ban by intention to maintain the fuel balance.  

Recall, the ban on the export of petroleum products by road was imposed by Kazakhstan on July 12 last year for six months, then it was extended for six months. The Kazakh Ministry of Energy previously noted that the ban was imposed to ensure the stability and sustainability of the development of the national economy and to prevent a shortage of petroleum products in the country’s domestic market.

According to data from Tajikistan’s Antimonopoly Agency, Tajikistan has imported only about 23,000 tons of petroleum products from Kazakhstan over the first six months, which is little more than 5.0 percent  of the total volume of the country’s fuel imports reported over the reporting period.  

In January-June this year, Tajikistan has reportedly imported a total of 442,000 tons of petroleum products, with 85.4 percent of them imported from the Russian Federation.