Sri Lanka’s Fuel demand decreased by 50% in 2023 compared to 2022

Fuel filling station in Sri Lanka

(Photographer: Thilina Kaluthotage / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Fuel demand in Sri Lanka has decreased by 50% during the current Christmas season compared to 2022, President of the Fuel Station Owners Association, Kumara Rajapaksa said on Thursday (December 28).

The number of vehicles arriving at filling stations had dropped, and the amount of fuel dispensed for individual vehicles had also dropped, Rajapaksa said.

The sale of diesel had dropped by 40 to 60 percent as the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) and Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC) were now supplying diesel directly to many factories, Rajapaksa said.