OIL marketing companies are selling petrol and diesel at a loss of Rs 14 per litre and Rs 18 per litre, respectively, as elevated crude prices outpace capped retail fuel rates, squeezing marketing margins. Besides losses on petrol and diesel, the elevated energy prices post West Asia crisis are likely to leave companies with an under recovery of Rs 80,000 crore on cooking gas LPG in the current fiscal, while fertiliser subsidy is projected to rise to Rs 2.05 to 2.25 lakh crore.

 

Rating agency Icra said, supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz - handling around 20 per cent of global oil and LNG trade - have tightened availability of fuels, fertilisers and chemicals, pushing up prices and increasing cost pressures across downstream industries.