Cooking gas price goes up

Zim Now Writer

The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has reviewed upwards the prices for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) with effect from December 12, 2022.

This comes as most domestic consumers in the country had turned to LPG as an alternative energy source given the high electricity tariffs and power outages that last close to 20 hours daily.

In a statement, Zera said the LPG gas would now cost US$1,83, representing a five-cent increase from the November price of US$1,78 ($1 133,05) per kg.

“Stakeholders are advised that LPG prices for December 2022 calculated according to the (Liquid Petroleum Gas Pricing) Regulations 90 of 2021 are as follows: US$ price/kg 1,83, Zimdollar price/kg ($1 208,58),” the statement read.

“Operators are advised to display prices at their retail outlets at a prominent place in clearly legible letters. Please note that it is permissible to sell LPG at prices below the prescribed prices depending on one’s trading advantages.”

Zera recently reported that the annual consumption of LPG had risen from one million kilogrammes to 50 million kilogrammes in the past five years.

High electricity tariffs and frequent load shedding have forced domestic power consumers and people in urban areas to turn to LPG as an alternative source of heating energy.

Trade in gas stoves, gas refrigerators and other gas-operated appliances has also spiked in recent years.