Gasoline rises 3.1% at stations and the price reaches R$ 7,889

The average price of gasoline rose 3.1% at the pumps this week and there are already stations selling the product for R$ 7,889 in Bagé (RS), according to the weekly price survey by the ANP (National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels).

According to the agency, the average price of fuel in the country reached R$ 6.562 per liter, a reflection of transfers from the last adjustment promoted by Petrobras, of 7%, on Tuesday (26). The value is a new record since the ANP began compiling weekly prices in 2002.

Also readjusted on Monday, by 9.1%, the price of diesel rose 4.5% at Brazilian service stations this week, reaching an average of R$ 5.211 per liter. ANP research detected the highest value in Cruzeiro do Sul (AC), where the product was found at R$ 6,420 per liter.

With the escalation of diesel prices, unions linked to autonomous truck drivers promise a national stoppage on Monday (1). In recent weeks, the issue has led to stoppages by truck drivers in Pará and fuel carriers in Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro.

The ANP research also detected increases in the prices of hydrated ethanol, which rose 3.9% in the week, to R$ 5.066; The price of the gas cylinder remained practically stable, closing the week at R$ 102.04.

Criticized by the government for the gains from the increase in fuel, the states decided to freeze for three months the reference price used to calculate the ICMS, known as PMPF (weighted average price to the final consumer).

The measure should reduce pressure on prices but does not prevent further increases if Petrobras decides to readjust again the sale values ​​of products by its refineries.

With prices on the rise, the state-owned company announced this Thursday (28) a profit of R$ 31.1 billion in the third quarter of 2021, taking the accumulated profit for the year to R$ 75.1 billion. With the performance, the company has already announced the distribution of R$ 61.3 billion in dividends to its shareholders.

Criticized by President Jair Bolsonaro himself (no party) for the high earnings, the company defended this Friday (29) that its profit returns to society in the form of taxes, investments and dividends for the Union, its largest shareholder, which is entitled to R $23.3 billion of the announced total.

Following the recovery of international oil prices and the devaluation of the real against the dollar, Petrobras has already promoted 13 adjustments in the price of gasoline in 2021, with an accumulated increase of 74%. The price of diesel at refineries rose 65% in the year.

According to the Petrobras Social Observatory, the price of gasoline pumps broke a record in the country last week, exceeding the R$ 6.25 per liter in effect in February 2003, in an amount corrected for inflation. Diesel and gas cylinder prices had already broken records during the year.