In early February, Hoa, who sells bun bo in An Hoi Dong ward, TP HCM, bought a 12 kg gas cylinder for 440,000 dong. When the cylinder was nearly empty and she placed an order for a new one, she was quoted 495,000 dong, an increase of 55,000 dong. "The dealer said prices could increase further if supply is delayed," she stated.

Surveys at gas dealers in TP HCM and Hanoi indicate that retail prices have continuously increased since early March, with common adjustments ranging from 20,000 to 80,000 dong per 12 kg cylinder, depending on the area.

Hoang, owner of a gas agency in Tan Thoi Hiep ward, reported that his store increased prices by an additional 10,000 dong per cylinder compared to the previous day, reaching 480,000 dong. This is about 40,000 dong higher than last month. He noted that the store typically sells 30-40 12 kg gas cylinders daily, but since early March, supply from distributors has dropped to about 15-22 cylinders.

A similar situation is occurring at a store in An Hoi Dong ward. Thanh, the store owner, said the current retail price is about 495,000 dong per 12 kg cylinder, an increase of about 50,000 dong from last month. However, the store can no longer proactively import goods and relies on allocations from its supplier.

A gas station in Binh Phuoc. Photo: VT GAS

Beyond TP HCM, many agencies in the Central, Southeast, and Southwest regions have also seen continuous gas price increases. Hong, owner of an agency in Dak Ha commune, Quang Ngai, stated that since early March, gas prices have been adjusted almost daily by 5,000-10,000 dong. The current selling price is about 475,000 dong per cylinder, compared to about 430,000 dong in early February.

In Hanoi, since early March, Petrolimex retail gas prices (including Value Added Tax, VAT) have risen to over 432,000 dong for a 12 kg household cylinder and about 1.73 million dong for a 48 kg industrial cylinder. These represent increases of 648 dong and 2,592 dong respectively, marking the third adjustment by this major distributor since the beginning of the year.

A sales representative at a Petrolimex Gas store in Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, confirmed that the store continues to sell at the system's listed prices and that current supply still meets customer demand.

Global gas prices are determined by the Contract Price (CP) reference price, announced by major suppliers like Saudi Aramco, typically finalized at the end of a month and applied for the following month. In Vietnam, retail gas prices largely depend on imported sources because domestic production cannot meet demand. Consequently, domestic prices are influenced by exchange rates, transport costs, market supply and demand, and various taxes.

A representative from a gas supplier in Hanoi explained that imported LPG supply is under significant pressure due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Shipping and delivery operations from suppliers face many difficulties, leading to extended delivery times and reduced output. International LPG prices are also trending upwards, causing import costs and business input prices to increase significantly.

Similarly, according to Dam Viet Hung, Deputy Director of Viet Nam Liquefied Gas (VT Gas), some suppliers warned of potential supply chain disruptions from March 10, and gas shortages have indeed occurred at some businesses. He noted that VT Gas currently maintains supply through domestic stock and inventory, but in March, it expects to provide only about 70% of its planned output, which must be allocated daily to its customer network from the Central to the Southwest regions.

Gas prices therefore vary among distributors. Some businesses have increased prices by about 40,000 dong per 12 kg cylinder at the distribution stage, while retail prices for consumers have risen by 60,000-80,000 dong in some areas. VT Gas's system, however, has adjusted prices by about 10,000 dong per cylinder due to the impact of exchange rates, fuel prices, and transport costs.

Facing the risk of supply shortages, some gas companies have proposed that regulatory agencies permit temporary under-filling of cylinders below the standard volume to share available stock. The proposal suggests filling cylinders with about 6-8 kg instead of the usual 12 kg, to distribute gas more evenly to residents.

A gas store in An Hoi Dong ward, TP HCM. Photo: Thi Ha

Currently, about 70% of Vietnam's imported LPG originates from the Middle East, so conflicts in this region can disrupt the supply chain. To prevent supply disruptions, importers are diversifying their sources, increasing domestic LPG production, and promoting the use of alternative energy sources.

Nguyen Ngoc Luan, General Director of Southern Gas Trading Joint Stock Company (PGS), stated that the company supplies household LPG to the area from Ca Mau to Nghe An, with an output of about 13,000-15,000 tons per month. About half of this output is purchased from domestic plants, with the remainder relying on imported sources.

According to Luan, the company can ensure supply until about March 10-15 thanks to inventory and domestic sources. However, major import units like PVGas Trading have announced production cuts due to disruptions in LPG supply from the Middle East. After March 10, it is likely that no new cargo ships will dock until the end of the month, forcing businesses to adjust their market supply.

A representative from PV GAS stated that the company proactively prepared liquefied natural gas (LNG) sources early to respond to new developments. In the first half of 2026, the unit expects to receive three LNG shipments. For March alone, they arranged two shipments, each about 70,000 tons, from Qatar and the Southeast Asian region.

PV GAS currently has about 15,000 tons of LNG in inventory. This supply is expected to be sufficient for power generation until the end of April 2026. From May, the company will continue to seek additional import sources to supplement supply.

Thi Ha - Phuong Dung