KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s state-owned oil refinery Petrojam has released its latest ex-refinery pricing update, confirming a series of adjustments to fuel costs that will go into effect for consumers across the island starting Thursday, May 28. Contrary to initial warnings that motorists would face higher gasoline prices at retail pumps, most common fuel grades have actually received a modest per-litre price cut.
The 90-octane gasoline grade, a popular option for many modern vehicles, will be priced at $201.58 per litre following a $0.25 reduction. Similarly, the more widely used 87-octane gasoline will drop by the same $0.25 margin, bringing its ex-refinery price to $194.13 per litre.
Diesel products have also seen matching downward adjustments. Regular automotive diesel will now carry an ex-refinery cost of $201.75 per litre, down $0.25 from the previous cycle, while ultra-low sulphur diesel, which meets stricter emissions standards, will retail at an ex-refinery price of $208.60 per litre, also reflecting a $0.25 per-litre decrease.
Not all fuel products moved lower in this pricing cycle, however. Kerosene, commonly used for cooking, heating and certain industrial applications, saw a $0.25 per-litre increase that brings its ex-refinery price to $186.40.
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) products saw far more dramatic shifts. Liquid propane will now cost $83.09 per litre, marking a $2.00 reduction from prior pricing, while liquid butane dropped even more sharply by $3.06 per litre, landing at an ex-refinery price of $94.17.
It is important to note that these published figures represent Petrojam’s ex-refinery base costs. Independent marketing companies and retail gas station operators will add their own standard markups to these base prices before consumers see the final cost at the pump.