Kazakhstan to switch over to own gasoline, diesel fuel this year, says Dossayev

None
None
ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Starting this year, Kazakhstan will satisfy the country's market demand by domestic gasoline and diesel fuel, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerbolat Dossayev said at today's extended session of the Government, Kazinform correspondent reports.

Addressing the meeting, he said that the fuel and energy sector remains the main economic growth driver and that 2018 was a record year in terms of the sector's key indicators.

"Over 90 million tons of oil and over 55 billion cubic meters of gas were extracted. The modernization of all three refineries has been completed. At the end of the last year, the average retail prices for the main oil products did not rise. The domestic demand for gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel and bitumen will be satisfied starting this year," he informed.

Yerbolat Dossayev also informed that at the yearend, Kazakhstan's GDP growth was 4.1%, and 70% of this growth was ensured by the non-energy sectors. According to him, the manufacturing industry growth was achieved by raising the machine-building manufacturing, oil refining, chemical industry and non-ferrous metallurgy production.

"The labor productivity in the economy as a whole grew by 2.9 percent. The inflation rate fell to 5.3 pct. The unemployment rate is at a safe level and amounted to 4.9% at the yearend. Fixed capital investment increased by 17 pct, while private investment rose by 22.5 pct," he said.

Currently reading