High Consumption Rate Sees Pertalite Stocks Dwindling at Several Depok Petrol Stations

Stocks of subsidised Pertalite fuel at several public filling stations (SPBU) in Depok City, West Java, are starting to run low. The dwindling Pertalite stocks are being driven by a surge in demand following the government’s policy adjustment for non-subsidised fuel prices. The price of Pertamax (RON 92) has soared to Rp16,250 per litre. The significant price difference, reaching up to Rp6,250 per litre, has triggered a mass migration of consumers from Pertamax to Pertalite. Several SPBU supervisors confirmed to Media Indonesia that the depleted Pertalite stocks were generally caused by distribution constraints and the demand surge. “Delivery delays from the depot often occur, which then triggers queues from the public so that stocks run out quickly before the next delivery schedule arrives,” said Dede Setiadi, Supervisor of SPBU 34-16-9-24, on Thursday. He stated that the current Pertalite stock at SPBU 34-16-9-24 was sufficient because it was still available and guaranteed safe, with the price remaining at Rp10,000 per litre. “However, the high surge in demand due to the significant price difference with non-subsidised fuel is causing Pertalite supplies at a number of SPBU in Depok City to run out quickly. There are 30 SPBU points in Depok City,” he said. Observations at several SPBU in Depok City showed that the majority of queues occurred at the Pertalite filling lanes. Many motorists have chosen to switch to the subsidised fuel because the price gap is now widening compared to Pertamax. At SPBU 34-16-9-24, located on Jalan Raya Bogor at the border with Pekayon Urban Village, East Jakarta, queues of motorcycles appeared to snake around after the Pertamax price rose to Rp16,250 per litre from the previous Rp12,300 per litre. Motorcyclist Ridwan, 22, admitted he now chooses Pertalite over Pertamax. “I used to fill up with Pertamax, now it’s gone up a lot. So I switched to Pertalite,” he said. He hopes that the subsidised fuel will not also experience a price increase. “Hopefully the President will not raise the price of Pertalite, because if it goes up, we’ll get poorer,” he said.