● <B>How is it that the price of petrol has not increased during the last session of the Automatic Pricing Mechanism?</B>

According to the State Trading Corporation (STC) director, Ranjit Singh Soomarooah, the reasons go back to the APM July session where the petrol price had increased by 20% while the real rise on the world market was up to 34.53%. In October, the remaining 14.53% were passed on to consumers, which allowed the STC to make good. Private petrol companies made huge profits; so, no increase was necessary.

● <B>What about the price of diesel?</B>

Those using diesel were definitely less lucky! The price of crude oil hit the 100 $ in New York and the situation in Pakistan, Iraq and Nigeria makes the market even more grim and the situation increasingly complicated. ?The laws of supply and demand also play a great role in the price of oil especially with the high demand in energy from India and China,? explained the STC director. As a result, the price of diesel in Mauritius has risen by 12.8% ? going from Rs 31,55 to 35,61.

● <B>What will be the impact of this rise on other sectors?</B>

The companies most affected by this rise are those owning buses and vans using diesel. Bus owners, who had already asked for a rise in ticket prices, will probably return to the fray after this major increase in the price of one of their most important inputs.