‘Pakistan needs to import 400,000MT LPG to meet consumers’ demand in winter’

ISLAMABAD: Liquefied Petroleum Gas Distributors Association (LPGDA) on Thursday projected that the country was in need of importing 400,000 Metric Tonnes (MT) LPG during four months of the current winter season to meet the requirements of consumers.

“Around 100,000MT LPG is required each in November, December, January and February, as this year the commodity demand has significantly increased due to constant depletion of existing natural gas reserves in the country,” LPGDA Chairman Irfan Khokhar told APP.

According to an official document available with the media, the government has set the target of producing 753,051 tonnes of LPG through indigenous means and importing 317,263 tonnes during the current fiscal year.

In the year 2019-20, the commodity’s production stood at 784,200 tons against the target of 820,000 tonnes and the import remained 272,018 tonnes against the target of 300,000 tonnes, posting 95.63 per cent and 90.67pc achievement respectively.

The LPGDA chairman further thanked the government for reduced tax on the LPG import from 18pc to 10pc and hoped that LPG would soon become a zero-rated tax industry.

With zero-rated tax, he claimed LPG would be available at the lowest price in the open market and give a tough time to companies providing natural gas to consumers due to its availability and affordable rate.

He said the promotion of the LPG industry would not only ensure the provision of inexpensive fuel to consumers especially in far-flung and hilly areas where piped gas was not available, but also prevent tree cutting.