BY DR FRED M’MEMBE
FUEL PRICES
The UPND government faces a dilemma of how to honour their election promise of cutting fuel prices today in the light of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditionality with the net effect of increasing fuel prices. On Tuesday, January 25, 2022, the Energy Regulatory Board (ERB) issued a press statement advising fuel consumers and stakeholders that following the pronouncement made at the last fuel price review on December 16, 2021, the ERB has migrated to the thirty day pricing cycle for petrol, diesel and low sulphur gas oil.
And in that regard, fuel prices would now be reviewed every month starting with January, 2022. It’s highly unlikely that fuel prices will be reduced at these reviews – they will instead be increased. And this may further stoke public outrage over the high living expenses.
In the light of their IMF commitments, we can’t see any sensible measures that they can take to help reduce fuel prices in an effort to honour their campaign promise of affordable fuel and defuse public anger. The price of fuel has a significant weighting in the basket of goods and services that are used to measure inflation in the country. Producers of services and goods are also expected to factor in the higher cost of fuel. This makes fuel prices a key determinant of the rate of inflation.
The economy also uses diesel for transportation, power generation and running of agricultural machinery such as tractors, with a direct impact on the cost of farm produce. At the individual level, higher fuel prices mean that each of us pays more at the filling station, leaving less to spend on other goods and services.
But higher fuel prices affect more than just the cost to fill up at the filling station; higher fuel prices have an effect on the broader economy. Inversely, when fuel prices fall, it is cheaper to fill up the tank for both households and businesses, and really eases costs on transportation-focused industries like trucking and buses – but it also puts a damper on the domestic fuel industry.
In general, higher fuel prices are a drag on the economy. When fuel prices rise, it can be a drag on the economy – impacting everything from consumer spending to bus fares to hiring practices. Fuel is an important input for transportation, which directly impacts households as they drive, but also businesses that rely on logistics and transportation chains. If discretionary spending is hampered by higher fuel costs, it can have knock-on effects throughout the broader economy.
A side effect of high fuel prices is that the discretionary spending of consumers drops as they spend a relatively larger portion of their income on fuel. Higher fuel prices also mean that shoppers will tend to drive less – including to places like the mall or shopping centers.
All retailers are further squeezed as they are forced to pass on the higher expenses they also experience, which are associated with increased shipping costs to consumers. Anything that has to be transported could cost more as fuel prices rise. Likewise, many products that contain plastics or synthetic materials are based in part on petroleum. Higher fuel prices mean higher prices for these materials too.
Rising fuel prices will negatively impact efforts at economic recovery in terms of hiring practices. Rising fuel prices will force some businesses to re-evaluate their hiring plans, holding off because they are uncertain about the economy’s health. Less discretionary spending results in decreased sales, both of which can influence a company’s ability to hire.
Many job candidates have to weigh prospective positions against the costs associated with the commute. Some workers who have been offered new jobs have been forced to turn down the position simply because the costs to get to and from work would eat up such a large percentage of the salary.
There is an undeniable correlation between
consumer confidence, spending habits, and fuel prices. Increases in fuel prices makes people feel more pessimistic about the economy.
Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party
January 28, 2022