Phnom Penh: Diesel price in Cambodia has more than doubled since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict, the Ministry of Commerce said. 

In an announcement on Friday night, the ministry said a liter of diesel is now priced at 8,100 riels ($2.03), up 110 per cent from 3,850 riels ($0.96) at the end of February.

Meanwhile, regular gasoline now costs 5,500 riels ($1.37) per liter, representing an increase of 42.8 per cent from 3,850 riels ($0.96) at February's end, according to the announcement.

Also, the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) goes for 3,900 riels ($0.97) per liter, up 95 percent from 2,000 riels ($0.50) at the end of February.

In a bid to mitigate the impact of rising fuel prices, the government reduced import duties and taxes on fuel products on March 20, Xinhua news agency reported.

Moreover, on March 28, the government decided to reduce import duties on electric vehicles (EVs), passenger plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), electric stoves, and solar-powered devices.

The Southeast Asian country entirely relies on imported petroleum and diesel, as its seabed oil reserves have not been exploited yet.

Earlier on March 31, eighteen out of 36 airlines operating flights to and from Cambodia had increased their air ticket prices due to rising fuel costs caused by the Middle East conflict, said a civil aviation spokesperson.

Sinn Chanserey Vutha, secretary of state and spokesperson for the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, said that the airlines have added a fuel surcharge on their basic airfares based on flight distance.

Four domestic airlines had increased their airfares by about $21 on average, as foreign airlines have averagely raised their airfares by approximately $28, he said in a news release.