Mekong Delta highly likely to face large-scale petroleum supply disruption
In recent days, many petrol filling stations in the Mekong Delta region have closed and stopped selling, partly because of losses, and partly because of supply shortages, leading to the prospect of large-scale disruptions in the region.
Along the Nam Song Hau route from the Mekong Delta City of Can Tho to provinces Hau Giang, Soc Trang, and Bac Lieu, many petrol stations closed or hung signs that the stations ran out of gas. Some gas stations are still open but each motorbike driver is allowed to buy about VND20,000 – VND30,000 to continue their trip. According to station owners, they resorted to this way because the supply was short and there was no capital to import goods because of losses over a long time.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Van, owner of a petrol filling station at Nam Hung private enterprise in Dai Ngai commune of Soc Trang Province’s Long Phu District, said that the station is a distribution agent of PTC-Petimex. She explained for three weeks, the PTC-Petimex had not supplied the fuel for the station, even sample gasoline was also used for family motorbikes and for pedestrians who unfortunately run out of gas along the way. According to her reveal, the supplier also had no more fuel to distribute to retail stations as PTC-Petimex sometimes just delivered only 1,000 – 2,000 liters and stopped.
staff writers – Translated by Anh Quan
