Sri Lanka enacts rationing measures to conserve fuel amid Middle East supply disruptions

Record ID: 2365159

  • Title: Sri Lanka enacts rationing measures to conserve fuel amid Middle East supply disruptions
  • Date: 15th March 2026
  • Summary: COLOMBO, SRI LANKA (MARCH 15, 2026) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TUK TUKS QUEUED OUTSIDE PETROL STATION VARIOUS OF MOTORCYCLES QUEUED PETROL STATION 55-YEAR-OLD MOHAMED NAWAZ PUSHING HIS TUK TUK TO PUMP PETROL (SOUNDBITE) (Sinhala) 55-YEAR-OLD TUK TUK DRIVER, MOHAMED NAWAZ, SAYING: "There are some people who buy and stock petrol. This QR system is good to stop that happening" ATTE
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Fuel Iran war Oil Sri Lanka Transport
  • Location: COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
  • City: COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
  • Country: Sri Lanka
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA001408415032026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The Sri Lankan government announced that fuel would be rationed with immediate effect on Sunday (March 15) to conserve the country’s fuel stock as prices increased and supply remained disrupted by the conflict in the Middle East.
    Cars and three-wheelers will be restricted to 15 litres of fuel, buses to 60 litres of fuel, and trucks to 200 litres of fuel following a weekly quota. The government has also implemented a QR code system, which was introduced in 2022 when the country was crippled by an economic crisis, to deter illegal purchases of excessive quantities of fuel.
    Drivers waiting in long queues on Sunday welcomed the QR code system to curb hoarding, but said the limits were squeezing livelihoods already battered by rising prices, with many spending all day in queues for allocations they say are not enough.
    Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told parliament on March 3 that the country has sufficient fuel stocks to ensure uninterrupted supply for 33 days under prevailing consumption levels. 
    A statement issued by the energy ministry early Sunday morning said the steps are being taken to "carefully manage the available fuel reserves in order to sustain the nation's economic activities." 
    (Production: Waruna Karunatilake, Channa Kumara)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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