After three weeks of decline, the price of gasoline rose again at Brazilian stations, according to the ANP (National Agency of Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels). Last week, the product cost an average of R$ 7,219 per liter, the highest value since the week after Petrobras’ mega-increase.
The value represents an increase of 0.3% compared to the previous week and reflects the transfer to the pumps of the rise in the price of anhydrous ethanol, which represents 27% of the gasoline sold at stations, known as gasoline C.
Hydrous ethanol is also on the rise: last week, it was sold, on average, at R$5,241 per liter, 4.5% above the ANP’s the previous week. In four weeks, the product accumulates an increase of 5.8% in the pumps.
Plant owners say soaring ethanol prices reflect high demand in an off-season when inventories are at their lowest. The sector’s expectation is that prices will begin to decline in the coming weeks, with the start of the sugarcane harvest.
According to Cepea (Center for Advanced Studies in Applied Economics), from Esalq/USP, the price of hydrous ethanol at the plants in São Paulo rose 8.1% last week, to R$ 3.836 per liter. Anhydrous was 3.7% more expensive, reaching R$ 4,083 per liter.
The ANP survey detected a small drop in the price of diesel, which was sold, on average, at R$6.587 per liter last week. The value is 0.2% lower than the previous week.
The price of cooking gas remains stable, being sold, on average, at R$ 113.66 per 13-kilogram cylinder last week. Petrobras reduced the sale price at its refineries by 5.6% on the 8th, but there was still no impact on the final price of the product.
The rise in fuel prices in March brought down the second president of Petrobras in the Bolsonaro government, General Joaquim Silva e Luna, fired shortly after the announcement of mega-increases in gasoline and diesel prices.
His replacement, José Mauro Coelho, took office last Thursday (14), after a troubled process of changing command, marked by the withdrawal of the government’s first option, the consultant Adriano Pires, after questioning of conflict of interests.
In his inaugural speech, Coelho defended the company’s fuel pricing policy, saying that the practice of artificial prices harms investments and can pose a risk to the country’s fuel supply.
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