Puebla, Pue. Due to the fourth wave of Covid-19 infections, the average sale of gasoline in the 500 stations that operate in Puebla It is at 60% today, but it could fall 10% more if companies send their staff to home offices and if classes are virtual again, explained the local president of the Organization of Petroleum Vendors (onexpo), Rafael Zorrilla Alanis.
He explained that the rise in new infections causes vehicle mobility to drop and therefore fuel consumption is affected.
He said that this percentage was held in April 2020, when the health contingency began and led the people of Puebla and non-essential businesses to confinement for five months, which ended in August of that same year.
However, he pointed out that sales have not improved either after the total economic reactivation in the last quarter of last year, because despite having more activities, people rationally buy fuel due to the effects on their income and only consume what is essential. for when you have to use the vehicle.
“We trust that the hybrid class program will be maintained despite the fact that Puebla teachers have asked that only virtual activities be returned, but it will still be inevitable that companies send part of the employees to home office while the curve continues to rise. of infections,” he said.
He stressed that the mobility of students implies that parents make a greater consumption, by moving from home to school and then to the workplace or housewives are going to bring or leave the child, which implies a double consumption for having two cars.
Zorrilla Alanís pointed out that although the Government of Puebla keeps all economic activities unchanged despite the fourth wave of Covid-19 infections, it is not ruled out that there are companies that reduce staff with staggered strikes or ask some to work from home.
He indicated that if it happens, sales will fall to 50% and that implies that gas stations continue as at the beginning of the pandemic, buying only what is demanded daily and not generating more jobs.
The local president of the Organization of Petroleum Distributors recalled that gasoline with a lower octane number is sold for an average of 20 pesos per liter, while the one with a higher octane number costs more than 21 pesos in the metropolitan area, with its variations, but people have stopped filling the tank.
Investments
He mentioned that there were no investments for new stations in 2021, and the 30 that were built throughout 2020 continue without operating due to the economic situation and that the Energy regulatory commission (CRE), has not released the permissions.
He highlighted that the gas stations represent an investment of 600 million pesos, some will receive the product of Mexican oil (Pemex) and others are foreign brands.
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