This price increase coincided with a drop in global oil prices, which was triggered by the conflict in the Middle East.
Data from the Uzbek Republican Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange shows that on March 10, the price per ton of AI-92 gasoline exceeded 12.72 million sums (91,223.53 sums), with the volume of fuel sold falling from 3,784 tons on Friday to 1,835 tons on Tuesday.
Among the reasons for the sharp increase in gasoline prices is also the rise in global oil quotes, which last week exceeded $100 per barrel for the first time since summer 2022, although there was a slight decrease afterward.
Economist Otobek Bakirov commented that the rise in global oil prices serves as "an excellent excuse for oligarchs and monopolists" to increase domestic fuel prices. He also noted that despite the drop in global oil prices from $80 to $60 per barrel (-25%) in 2025, gasoline prices within the country rose by 11.9%.
Furthermore, the sharp rise in gasoline prices is observed against the backdrop of the closure of methane filling stations across Uzbekistan. Temporary restrictions on the operation of CNG stations were introduced by the Ministry of Energy due to the cold weather, but the date for their cancellation has not yet been specified.
Since the end of October 2024, "Uzbekneftegaz" has started to offer AI-92 gasoline on the commodity and raw materials exchange. The price of fuel produced at the Bukhara Oil Refinery exceeded 11.5 million sums (82,474.10 sums) per ton, and in August of last year, a record price was recorded – over 13.3 million sums (95,383.09 sums).
