The diesel fuel crisis continued to escalate on Tuesday in most Egyptian governorates. Long lines of cars appeared at most diesel gas service stations, with fights breaking out between taxi drivers, some of whom went on strike. Taxi drivers also raised their cab fairs in many governorates, leading to fights with passengers. The crisis also led to the disruption of work at a number of bakeries. Meanwhile, diesel fuel prices reached a high of LE4 per liter in some areas. In Demietta, a source from the Directorate of Supply and Internal Trading said that 70 percent of diesel gas service stations are now depleted of diesel fuel and that taxi drivers had raised their fares by 30 percent, leading to problems with passengers. In Beheira and Sharqiya, the long lines of cars waiting to fill up at diesel gas service stations led to traffic jams and caused traffic to come to a complete standstill on a number of roads. Meanwhile, taxi drivers in the town of Faqous went on strike. Assuit Governor Ibrahim Hamad announced that the crisis was in the process of being solved after the governorate was granted a 100,000-liters-per-day share of diesel fuel. In Wadi al-Gadid, diesel fuel service stations received 1020 tons of subsidized diesel fuel. Meanwhile, the Directorate of Supply and Internal Trading succeeded in thwarting an attempt at smuggling 4500 liters of subsidized fuel. The crisis has also affected the agricultural sector, with farmers unable to operate certain equipment, a fact that may lead to decreased food supplies during the coming period. Meanwhile, the General Petroleum Authority (GPA) said the crisis would be over within the next few days as diesel fuel supplies will be increased. The GPA said it was doing everything in its power to ensure the crisis is over by the end of next week. Translated from the Arabic Edition
