FUEL TROUBLES * Egypt - Diesel crisis is back

The government raced to contain the shortages in the supply of diesel fuel this week

Cairo,Egypt -AL-AHRAM, by Nesma Nowar -20 May 2011: -- The diesel shortages in Egypt's governorates this week crippled the activity of many vital sectors. The diesel fuel crisis is an annually recurring problem caused by an increase in the local consumption due to the agricultural harvest season...  Some governorates witnessed long queues of trucks, minibuses, agricultural tractors and lorries lining up along streets to get fuel causing heavy congestion on major roads and blocked traffic for long hours. Such incidents were reported in Daqahliya, Qalioubiya and Kafr Al-Sheikh governorates. Other provinces saw clashes between drivers leaving several injuries...  Diesel is considered the basic fuel for heavy transport vehicles, some bakeries, electricity generators, and some hotels in remote areas that need to generate their own electricity. According to the Ministry of Petroleum, Egypt's local production of diesel fuel covers 75 per cent of the country's consumption needs, while the rest is covered through import...  One expert from the petroleum industry, who preferred to remain anonymous, attributed a good part of the problem to what he called "the government's poor planning". He pointed out that Egypt has been repeatedly suffering diesel shortages for the past three years around this time of year. He explained that the government should examine diesel consumption on a monthly basis to provide the needed quantities beforehand. "Knowing that in summer consumption peaks, the government should have been prepared," he told Al-Ahram Weekly...

* UK - Why isn’t the price of fuel falling?

London,EN,UK -HGV UK -May 19, 2011: -- The FairFuelUK Campaign has called on the government to explain why the price of diesel hasn’t fallen in recent weeks despite a significant fall in oil prices... FairFuelUK Campaign representatives, including the Freight Transport Association and Road Haulage Association, had a very successful meeting with campaign supporter Robert Halfon MP (Conservative, Harlow), who has agreed to raise the issue with government, seeking an explanation as to why the pump price of fuel has hardly dropped despite the significant fall in oil prices... “This is a tremendous step forward in the fight for a fair price for fuel,” said FairFuelUK spokesperson Peter Carroll. “We are pleased that Robert Halfon is prepared to add his voice to our campaign. We are even more delighted at his support for the formation of an all-party group to endorse the fact that fuel prices and fuel duty stay high on the political agenda"...  (Picture: Conservative MP Robert Halfon has agreed to question the government on behalf of the FairFuelUK campaign about why the price of fuel has not dropped despite falls in the price of oil)