KARACHI: Local producers of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) on Friday raised prices by Rs19,000 per ton following an increase in international prices as LPG is indexed with Saudi Armaco Contract Price.

The Patron-in-Chief of All Pakistan LPG Distributors Association Abdul Hadi Khan said LPG prices had been raised by Rs19 per kg resultantly the 11.8 kg and 45.4 kg cylinders had become costlier by Rs224 and Rs863, respectively.

Hadi said, in Karachi LPG would be sold at Rs118 per kilo, 11.8 kg cylinder at Rs126 and 45.4 kg cylinder at Rs4,720. In Lahore, the price of LPG would be Rs123 per kg, 11.8 kg cylinder at Rs1,326 and 45.4 kg cylinder at Rs5,100.

Similarly, in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa LPG would be available at Rs128 per kg, 11.8 kg cylinder at Rs1,448 and 45.5 kg cylinder at Rs5,514.

In northern areas, Mansehra, Fata, Batgram and AJK, price of LPG would be Rs132 per kilo, 11.8 kg cylinder at Rs1,530 and 45.4 kg cylinder at Rs5,877.

Hadi said that the demand for LPG had surged to 1,700 tons per day, but producers had kept their production at 800 tons per day for the last one and a half years. Therefore, there was a need to increase LPG production and reduced prices.

He feared that LPG sale would decline by 15 per cent following this fresh increase in its prices, which could also affect the growth of the industry and discourage foreign investment in the LPG sector.

Hadi noted that LPG can become an alternate and cheaper fuel if its production is enhanced and prices are reduced to reasonable levels.—APP