New Delhi: Private fuel retailers Jio-bp and Nayara Energy have restricted diesel purchases at their outlets as industrial consumers shift to cheaper pump supplies, putting pressure on stocks and replenishment networks, people aware of the matter said.
Jio-bp has capped diesel sales at 50 litres per customer per day, while transaction limits at Nayara outlets range from 70 litres to 200 litres, they said.
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Public sector retailers Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) could also introduce quantity restrictions, according to the people cited above.
The curbs expose a widening gap between retail and bulk diesel prices. Pump prices have remained unchanged since May despite international crude rising to around USD 108 a barrel, while prices for industrial and other bulk consumers have tracked global rates more closely.
The resulting difference — as much as Rs 40 a litre — has encouraged bulk buyers to source diesel from petrol pumps instead of their dedicated supply channels.
Factories, telecom companies, hotels, malls, data centres and hospitals use diesel for machinery or backup power. Some are now purchasing 400–600 litres at a time from retail outlets, far exceeding typical purchases by individual motorists, the people said.
Such purchases can rapidly deplete stocks at individual stations, which have limited storage capacity and may need at least a couple of days to replenish supplies.
In response to queries, Jio-bp said all its outlets were operational and adequately stocked. It acknowledged taking measures to manage demand but did not specify purchase limits.
“Given the prevailing demand dynamics, we are taking appropriate measures to ensure equitable availability of fuel for mobility and transportation needs, particularly in view of demand from industrial and other non-transport use,” a company spokesperson said.
The measures were intended to ensure access for the widest possible number of customers, the spokesperson added.
Nayara Energy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Jio-bp, a joint venture between Reliance Industries and Britain’s BP, operates 2,227 fuel outlets, while Rosneft-backed Nayara has 7,105. Public sector companies dominate India’s fuel retail market, with IOC operating 43,289 outlets, BPCL 25,587 and HPCL 25,238.
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Although petrol and diesel prices are deregulated, retail rates have frequently remained insulated from international cost movements. This has allowed a substantial price difference to emerge between fuel sold at pumps and supplies priced for bulk consumers.
If that gap persists, industrial buyers could continue diverting purchases to retail outlets, straining stations serving motorists and transport operators. The restrictions reflect pressure on local inventories and distribution networks rather than necessarily indicating a shortage across the wider fuel supply system, sources said.
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