Significant increases in prices for petrol and diesel took effect from July 1-15 in Tonga, due to increase in duty starting today Thursday, 7 July, and follows last month's increase.

The new retail prices including consumption tax:

• Petrol 235.80 seniti per litre, 10.68 seniti increase
• Diesel 230.67 seniti per litre, 10.75 seniti increase

Kerosene decreased for the same period.

• Kerosene 152.43 seniti per litre, 0.63 seniti decrease

The Competent Authority stated the petroleum prices for this period are based on the change in duty rate effective 1 July and using the May 2016 average prices of the daily published Means of Platt’s Singapore (MOPS) benchmark prices and exchange rate.

In this price review the Authority also approved to remove the foreign exchange levy imposed last month and include the nine seniti per litre increase in the duty rate from 56 seniti per lite to 65 seniti per litre.

"As a result, the significant increase in the price is based on the increased duty including including CT."