In April only, the country imported over 976,336 tons of petroleum worth of $ 631.54 million, down by 20.4 per cent in quantity and 19.4 per cent in value compared with the previous month. The average petroleum price in April reached $ 646.8 per ton, up by 1.2 per cent compared with the previous month and by 25.1 per cent over the same month of 2017.  

The average petroleum price in the first four months of this year was at $ 645.5 per ton, up by 19.8 per cent compared with the same period last year.

South Korea was the leading import market of petroleum in the first four months of this year, accounted for 26.5 per cent of the total quantity and 28.6 per cent of the total value with 1.16 million tons worth of $ 807.06 million, up by 17.2 per cent in quantity and 33.4 per cent in value year – on – year.

The imports of petroleum from Malaysia totaled 1.3 million tons worth of $ 767.83 million, increased sharply by 69.4 per cent in quantity and 114.7 per cent in value compared with the same period last year. The figure accounted for 29.9 per cent of the total quantity and 27.3 per cent of the total value.

The country’s imports of petroleum from Singapore accounted for 21 per cent of the total quantity and 19.7 per cent of the total value with 914,394 tons worth of $ 554.31 million, down by 44.6 per cent in quantity and 32.9 per cent in value.

Meanwhile, the imports from Russia rocketed by 830 per cent in quantity and 1,192 per cent in value year – on – year to 48,804 tons worth of $ 41.87 million.

The imports of petroleum from Thailand also increased sharply by 96.2 per cent in quantity and 141.7 per cent in value compared with the same period last year to 394,053 tons worth of $ 249.52 million.