Headline: Kerosene price increase hurting poor households
Media: The Citizen (newspaper), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Date: 8 January, 2011
Dateline: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Reporter: Al-amani Mutarubukwa
Text: The price of kerosene rose by six per cent effective Wednesday this week as the global economic recovery increases demand for petroleum products. The new development diminishes options for low income households who have now to struggle with higher electricity tariffs and increased cooking gas prices.
The prices for cooking gas and electricity have also gone up by 20 per cent and 18.5 per cent respectively. And experts say this leaves most households in Dar es Salaam and other urban centres with little choice but to shift to charcoal.
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The widespread use of cooking gas, kerosene and electricity had started giving hope for a reduction of charcoal use in urban areas. Despite being beyond the financial reach of many urban residents the usage of cooking gas, kerosene and even electricity was starting to get stranglehold.
As part of efforts to encourage a switch from charcoal the government reduces kerosene tax in 2006. But the global economic recovery is pushing oil prices higher thus affecting the kerosene prices in the local market.
Biomass is the major source of household energy in Tanzania but it is also a major threat to deforestation in the country.
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