Clearances of marked gas oil, or green diesel, in March 2024 were 4% higher than in March 2023, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), which published fuel clearances data today (Thursday, May 9).
Clearances of green diesel in March 2024 were 94 million litres, which was 4% higher than the March 2023 figure of 90 million litres.
At 319 million litres, clearances of autodiesel in March 2024 were 2% higher than the March 2023 figure of 313 million litres.
This was the highest autodiesel clearances recorded for March between 2000 and 2024.
In 2000, autodiesel clearances were two billion litres which was 2% higher than unleaded petrol clearances.
Last year, autodiesel clearances had increased to 3.6 billion litres which was 256% higher than unleaded petrol.
Deirdre Moran, statistician in the climate and energy division, said: “Clearances of unleaded petrol in March 2024, at 92 million litres, were 11% higher than the March 2023 figure of 83 million litres.
“This was the highest unleaded petrol clearances recorded for March since 2017.”
After a long period of decline in clearances of unleaded petrol from 2007 to 2020, there has been a gradual rise since then.
At 103 million litres, clearances of kerosene in March 2024 were 8% lower compared with the March 2023 figure of 112 million litres.
Green diesel excise duty
Revenue is advising farmers that if they bring a quantity of agri-diesel from the north to the south – that is not in the tank of a tractor – they will be liable for the “appropriate excise duty”.
Earlier this month there was an increase of 4c/L on petrol, 3c/L on diesel, and 1.5c/L on marked diesel (also known as marked gas oil (MGO) or agri/farm diesel) as the Government partly restored excise duty on fuel.
A further increase of four cent/L on petrol, three cent on diesel, and 1.5c on marked gas oil is planned for August.
According to Revenue, current average retail prices for agricultural diesel – known as green diesel in the south and red diesel in the north because of the markers that are added to tackle fuel laundering -are “just under three cent/L less in Northern Ireland than in the state”.
In a statement to Agriland, Revenue said that cross-border “price differentials can give rise to fuel tourism”.
It said this is because people cross the border “to avail of cheaper retail prices”.