12kg LPG cylinder price cut by Tk 13 to Tk 1,585 in September

The price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking has been cut slightly for September, with the most widely used 12kg cylinder now priced at Tk 1,585, down Tk 13 from Tk 1,598.

The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) announced the new prices on Wednesday.

They will take effect from 6pm and remain in force until further notice, according to a BERC media statement.

The retail price of privately marketed LPG, including VAT, has been set at Tk 132.12 per kg for September, down Tk 1.03 from Tk 133.15 in August.

The revised prices for other cylinder sizes are Tk 727 for the 5.5kg cylinder, Tk 1,652 for 12.5kg, Tk 1,982 for 15kg and Tk 2,114 for 16kg.

An 18kg cylinder will cost Tk 2,378, a 20kg cylinder Tk 2,642, a 22kg cylinder Tk 2,907, a 25kg cylinder Tk 3,300 and a 30kg cylinder Tk 3,964.

The prices for 33kg, 35kg and 45kg cylinders have been set at Tk 4,360, Tk 4,624 and Tk 5,945 respectively.

The price of autogas used in vehicles has also been reduced by Tk 0.58 to Tk 73.09 per litre from Tk 73.67.

For privately supplied reticulated LPG in liquid form, including VAT, the price has been set at Tk 128.37 per kg. LPG supplied in gaseous form through the same system will cost Tk 0.2853 per litre, or Tk 285.30 per cubic metre.

BERC said the prices were adjusted based on Saudi Aramco's September contract prices (Saudi CP) for propane and butane. September's Saudi CP was $625 per metric tonne for propane and $660 for butane, with an average Saudi CP of $647.75 based on a 35:65 propane-butane ratio.

In August, the corresponding prices were $620 and $640, with an average of $633. The average Saudi CP therefore rose by $14.75 per metric tonne in September.

However, BERC considered a lower shipping cost and traders' premium of $160 per metric tonne, compared with $180 in August. It also used an average exchange rate of Tk 123.30 per dollar, compared with Tk 123.69 in August.

The price of government-supplied LPG remains unchanged. The consumer price of a 12.5kg government LPG cylinder will remain at Tk 776.93.

In August, BERC raised the price of a 12kg cylinder by Tk 70 to Tk 1,598 and set autogas at Tk 73.67 per litre. Before that, the 12kg price was cut by Tk 357 to Tk 1,528 in July, when autogas was Tk 70.40 per litre. In June, the cylinder price was cut by Tk 55 to Tk 1,885.

Earlier, the price was raised by Tk 212 to Tk 1,940 on Apr 19, following a Tk 387 increase to Tk 1,728 on Apr 2. Thus, the price rose by Tk 599 in two April adjustments, before falling by Tk 412 in June and July, rising by Tk 70 in August and falling by Tk 13 in September.

BERC said LPG, reticulated LPG and autogas cannot be sold above its fixed prices at any stage, including storage and bottling, distribution and retail.