Russia is considering an extension of diesel and gasoline export restrictions until February, state news agencies reported on Monday, citing anonymous sources.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak chaired a meeting on the fuel market on Monday attended by officials from the energy ministry, Federal Anti-Monopoly Service and oil company representatives.
A spokesperson for Novak told Reuters that no decision had yet been taken on the issue of rolling over export restrictions and the government said after the meeting that fuel producers had kept supply balanced.
"There is a downward trend in fuel prices in the small wholesale segment. Agricultural producers are being supplied with the necessary fuel volumes," the government said.
Russia imposed a partial ban on diesel exports at the end of September and extended a gasoline export ban until the end of the year. The ban on diesel exports also included marine fuel and other gas oils. It applied to resellers, but not to direct producers of those fuels.
At the time, gasoline shortages were reported in a number of Russian regions, including in the far east and in Nizhny Novgorod, east of Moscow. No major disruption has since been reported.
(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin and Olesya Astakhova Editing by Andrew Osborn)
