THE Energy Regulations Board (ERB) says the fuel stock situation in the country is stable and that 30.4 million total stocks of diesel is available against the consumption rate of 4.23 million liters per day.

ERB Director General, Elijah Sichone has since called on Zambians to avoid panic buying of fuel as the situation is normal. 

ZANIS reports that speaking during a press briefing on the fuel situation with the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in Lusaka, Mr Sichone said the country has 10.8 million liters of petrol against the daily consumption of 1.63 million liters. 

He explained that there is sufficient petrol stocks at various facilities across the country and that there is no need for panic buying. 

Mr Sichone said in terms of the distribution, the situation is such that 476 sites are selling both diesel and petrol. 

He, however, noted that there are challenges where some facilities or filling stations are not selling both products and that 98 of them were just selling diesel only, meaning they do not have petrol stocks. 

The ERB Director further said the facilities that are selling petrol only are 15 and that the ones that do not have the products, petrol and diesel are 17.

And the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) explained that the challenges which caused the delay in the supply of fuel was due to disturbances at Beira Port in Mozambique.

Mount Meru Director General, Dharmesh Patel said most OMCs had transport logistical problems especially with the policy by Zimbabwe to restrict the use of their tankers to transport fuel from Mozambique to Zambia. 

He noted that Zimbabwe had 3,500 tankers which were supplying fuel to Zambia and Congo DRC, but the stoppage has put a bit of a strain on the supply flow. 

Puma Energy Head of Government Relations, Litiya Matakala said the change of route from Zimbabwe to Chanida to bring fuel stocks to Zambia from Mozambique has a negative impact on the supply of fuel. 

He, however, assured that the flow of tankers to ferry fuel to Zambia will normalise within two weeks as most fuel trucks are enroute to Zambia currently.