Fuel prices ease across several Pacific Island nations despite ongoing supply pressures
Samoa, Tonga and Fiji have each decreased their fuel price caps for August, though each of them remains higher than before April when the global fuel crisis began.
Fuel prices in several Pacific Island nations have remained relatively stable despite ongoing supply chain challenges, according to recent reports. Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji have all adjusted their fuel price caps for August, though they still remain higher than levels seen prior to the global fuel crisis that began in April. Fiji experienced a reduction in diesel prices ranging from 36 to 38 NZ cents per litre, while petrol prices dropped between 28 to 30 cents per litre. In Viti Levu, the capital region of Fiji, diesel prices decreased by 13.7 percent.
Samoa saw a 13.2 percent reduction in diesel prices, bringing the cost down to $2.49 tala per litre. Tonga's diesel prices dropped to $2.87 per litre. While other Pacific nations have not yet altered their fuel caps, many either maintained or reduced them in July. New Zealand's Foreign Ministry stated that Polynesia's fuel supply is largely dependent on imports from Singapore. Samoa directly sources fuel from this country, while Fiji also obtains some fuel from Malaysia and South Korea.
Fiji subsequently re-exports fuel to Tuvalu, Tonga, and the Cook Islands. The latter two nations, in turn, source their fuel from New Zealand. Tokelau relies entirely on Samoa for its fuel needs. The Asian Development Bank and the Australian government have provided substantial financial support to the Fiji government, as well as regional fuel distribution hubs, over the past three months.
Despite this assistance, the cost of fuel has continued to rise in some Pacific nations. In May, Tuvalu's fuel expenditure more than quintupled, jumping from around $611 to $3.9 million. Just a month earlier, Tuvalu had declared a state of emergency, implementing strict power usage limits for its population of 10,000 people. Tonga's fuel spending also increased significantly, climbing 112.3 percent in May compared to the previous month.
The Cook Islands saw an even more dramatic increase of 152.6 percent during the same period, with diesel prices reaching NZ$4.65 in Rarotonga and $5.38 in the Northern Group.
Written by urgent.news from RNZ Pacific's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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