Gasoline Sales Down 30%,
San José Station Owners
Report
Gasoline station owners
in San José are
reporting a big drop in
gasoline sales, saying
that sales levels are as
much as 30% lower than
normal.
The high price of
gasoline is hitting hard
the purse strings of
most Costa Ricans as a
new round of gasoline
price hikes that takes
effect on Tuesday will
set a record high price
of ¢704 colones for a
litre of regular, ¢716
for super and ¢710 for
diesel.
And just last Friday
Recope, the state
refinery, submitted a
request for yet another
increase, that is
expected to be approved
and take effect in
August.
The high prices, in
addition to the
vehicular restrictions
of San José, has meant
that many are leaving
their cars at home and
taking public
transportation to and
from work, and not going
out as often.
The drop in sales may
result in some layoffs,
say the gasoline station
owners, who will be
forced to cut staff if
the sales don't start to
pick up.
"People are consuming
less gasoline", Armano
Viquez, administrator of
the Bomba Costa Rica
told an Al Día survey of
gasoline stations around
San José.
Viquez said that sales
at his station are down
10%, while Nelson Soto
of the La Primavera
station, also in San
José, says that sales at
his station is down 30%
and is in the process of
cutting costs to avoid
laying off employees.
|
