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Zera licences 307 fuel dealers

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THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has revealed that it issued 307 licences to fuel importers, wholesalers, producers, blenders and retailers

THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has revealed that it issued 307 licences to fuel importers, wholesalers, producers, blenders and retailers in 2012 in response to the country’s increasing demand for fuel.

By Tarisai Mandizha Business Reporter

According to Zera’s annual report for 2012, the growth rate in imports of petroleum products was 20% in 2012, 69% in 2011 and 20% in 2010.

In the period under review, Zera issued 228 licences in the retail sector, 48 in procurement, one for the production of ethanol, five for the production of blending, 16 as wholesalers and nine as liquid petroleum gas. Zera chief executive officer Gloria Magombo said the petroleum sector was deregulated to allow participation of private companies, unlike the period prior to 2008 where participation was dominated by international and foreign companies.

“Zera continued to improve the licensing framework for the petroleum sector with revised licence conditions for the different categories of fuel operators. Data collection from licensed companies was also a challenge despite the fact that Zera had made it a condition as required by the Petroleum Act (Chapter 13:22),” Magombo said.

Magombo said the petroleum sub-sector had seen continued growth in volumes notwithstanding price vitality experienced in the first quarter of the year as a result of fluctuating oil prices on the international market.

Some of the licenced companies include Ocean Petroleum, Petrola, Petrotrade, Pickglow, Paroan Trucking, Igwa Petroleum, Driftifin Petroleum, Green Fuels, Sakunda, Zuva, Oil Mark, Imrex Enterprises, CMED, Line Petroleum and Leadway Petroleum, among others. The authority is responsible for regulating the energy sector and is currently doing the analysis of the tariffs in consultation with stakeholders for presentation to the board.