Panic buying drives 20% surge in petrol, diesel sales in Maharashtra in May: Chhagan Bhujbal | Mumbai News
3 min readMumbaiMay 22, 2026 01:36 PM IST
Fuel sales in Maharashtra rose sharply this month amid panic buying triggered by fears of a possible shortage linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict, state Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said on Friday, while urging citizens not to believe rumours about fuel shortages.
According to official data released by the state Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department, diesel sales across Maharashtra increased by 19.66 per cent during the first fortnight of May, while petrol sales rose by 20.39 per cent compared to normal consumption levels.
The surge peaked on May 19, when diesel sales jumped by 42 per cent and petrol sales by 21 per cent over average daily sales, reflecting the scale of panic buying witnessed across several districts.
“There is adequate supply of diesel and petrol in Maharashtra. There is no reason for panic. People should not believe in rumours,” Bhujbal said.
Districts reporting highest surge in fuel sales:
The state government, however, maintained that despite the sudden rise in demand, fuel supplies remained uninterrupted and all consumer demand was met without shortages.
Officials said districts in Marathwada and Vidarbha witnessed the sharpest increase in fuel purchases. Washim recorded a 109 per cent rise in diesel sales and 42 per cent increase in petrol sales, while Akola saw diesel demand rise by 111 per cent. Jalgaon, Beed, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Dharashiv and Buldhana also reported sharp spikes in fuel purchases.
Bhujbal said apprehensions over a fuel crisis following international developments had led to excessive purchasing of petrol and diesel across the state, resulting in long queues outside fuel stations.
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“The panic buying has resulted in a sharp 20 per cent increase in petrol and diesel sales in May,” he said.
Earlier this week, The Indian Express had reported that nearly 20-25 per cent of Maharashtra’s approximately 8,100 petrol pumps, particularly in rural areas, were facing supply disruptions, triggering long queues, diesel rationing and panic buying across several districts. The shortage fears also disrupted pre-monsoon agricultural activity in Vidarbha and other rural regions, with farmers alleging that pumps had restricted diesel sales to 10-15 litres per tractor per day.
Fuel dealers had also cited delays in deliveries from oil companies and suspension of fuel supply on credit as factors worsening the situation.
Bhujbal, however, maintained that both the Centre and the state government were fully equipped to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply.
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“The Prime Minister, Central Government and state government are capable of ensuring uninterrupted supply of fuel. Citizens should exercise restraint and not fall prey to misleading reports,” he said.
Earlier this week, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had also appealed to citizens against hoarding fuel, saying district-wise allocation was being carried out as per schedule and there was no shortage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too had urged people to conserve fuel and ensure mindful utilisation in view of the global situation arising out of the West Asia conflict.
