The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MICM) has rolled out a new round of fuel price adjustments that will take effect from September 25 through October 2, bringing mixed changes to different fuel products, with most major transportation fuels seeing cost increases between 2 Dominican pesos (RD$) and RD$4 per gallon.
Under the new pricing scheme, premium gasoline will climb to RD$353.10 per gallon, representing a RD$3 per gallon increase. Regular gasoline will be priced at RD$317.50 per gallon, after a RD$2 per gallon uptick. For diesel products, premium diesel will see a RD$4 per gallon rise, while regular diesel increases by RD$3 per gallon. While some other minor fuel categories will actually see price cuts during this period, the widely used household and industrial energy sources liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and natural gas will stay at their current price points with no adjustments.
Government officials attribute these price increases to persistent instability in the global energy market. Two key geopolitical factors are driving up international crude and refined product prices: ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted regional production and shipping networks, and new navigation restrictions through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical chokepoints for global oil trade. These overlapping developments have created sustained upward pressure on oil prices worldwide, forcing local authorities to pass a portion of the increased costs onto consumers.