Fourth petrol, diesel price hike in 10 days hits Kerala hard

State-owned oil companies on Monday (May 25, 2026) hiked fuel prices for a fourth time in 10 days, with petrol turning costlier by ₹2.85 and diesel by ₹2.84 in the Ernakulam region in Kerala.

Ever since the first increase on May 15, citing the West Asia conflict and the resulting crude oil crisis, petrol prices have increased by ₹8.01 and diesel by ₹7.93 across Kerala, with slight variations. Petrol is priced around ₹113.60 and diesel at ₹102.50 in the Ernakulam region. Prices will be even higher in other districts, factoring in transportation costs from Ernakulam, which has refining facilities.

For instance, while transporting 12,000 litres of fuel from the plant at Irumpanam to Thrikkakara costs 20 paise per litre, it rises to ₹2 per litre when transported to Thiruvananthapuram, said Tomy Thomas, president of the All Kerala Federation of Petroleum Traders.

Oil companies have more or less withdrawn the credit facility offered to petroleum dealers. Indian Oil Corporation appears more lenient, allowing dealers to pay for the load on the day of delivery, while the other two oil companies insist on advance payment, Mr Thomas said.

“Despite the price hike, there is no fall in consumption. In fact, the consumption seems to be on the rise, as motorists seem intent on filling up before the next possible hike. Even petrol pumps operated by private companies haven’t experienced a drop in consumers despite the fuel price being more than what is charged by State-owned oil companies,” he said.

The interval between successive price hikes has progressively decreased. While there was a gap of six days between the first and the second hikes, the next two were separated by four days and two days, respectively. Petroleum dealers hope there will not be another rise, at least for a week.