Panic buying triggers fuel disruptions in Andhra Pradesh

Sudden public reactions can often disrupt essential supply systems, even when shortages do not exist. Andhra Pradesh recently witnessed such a situation with fuel availability.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu stepped in after panic buying spread across several cities. As a result, over 400 fuel stations shut temporarily on Sunday.

He immediately directed district authorities to control the situation and prevent further panic.

Earlier, the Chief Minister reviewed the developments with senior officials. He also held a teleconference with Chief Secretary K. Sai Prasad and others.

During the discussion, officials shared district-wise updates. This helped assess the scale of disruption caused by sudden demand.

Out of 4,510 fuel outlets in the state, about 421 faced temporary closure. Officials clarified that supply had actually increased by nearly 10 per cent.

However, panic buying led to unusually high consumption. Consequently, fuel stocks at many stations were exhausted quickly.

Under normal conditions, daily petrol sales stand at around 6,330 kilolitres. Diesel sales average about 9,048 kilolitres.

In contrast, recent figures show a sharp spike. On Saturday alone, petrol sales reached 10,345 kilolitres. Diesel demand also surged to 14,156 kilolitres.

Therefore, consumption rose by more than 50 per cent compared to regular levels. This sudden rise created long queues and inconvenience.

Despite this, officials confirmed there is no actual fuel shortage in the state.

Additionally, bulk fuel purchases added pressure on supply chains. The aquaculture sector often stores fuel in large drums.

Hence, this practice further strained availability at retail outlets. To address this, the Chief Minister instructed district collectors and fisheries officials to act immediately.

He also asked departments to implement a coordinated action plan. Furthermore, officials must submit a detailed report by evening. This report will outline the steps taken and progress made.

The government aims to stabilise supply swiftly and ensure normalcy returns across the state soon.

Image from Pxhere (Free for commercial use / CC0 Public Domain)

Image Published on March 16, 2017

Image Reference: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1159054