Brazil scraps taxes on diesel, imposes levy on oil exports
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- March 11, 2026
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Brazil's Finance Minister Fernando Haddad. (Reuters/File Photo) Brazil's government scrapped taxes on diesel while imposing a levy on oil exports in a move Thursday that could affect state-run oil firm Petrobras, as the country seeks to soften the blow of the recent spike in global oil prices. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's administration said the temporary measures would reduce the impact of price swings related to the US-Israeli war with Iran on local fuel prices, particularly diesel.The South American country cut the PIS and Cofins federal taxes levied on diesel to zero and imposed a 12% tax on crude oil exports, as well as a 50% levy on diesel shipments."Oil prices are getting out of control," Lula told a press conference announcing the measures in Brasilia.The spike in diesel prices has emerged as a threat to Brazil's powerful farm sector, raising costs for producers who are harvesting a record soybean crop and planting corn they cannot afford to delay. While Petrobras has not raised local fuel prices, Brazil is still partly reliant on imported diesel, and distributors have been reluctant to sell it at Petrobras' prices, concerned about a possible price hike in the near future.The government expects diesel prices at the pump to fall by 0.64 reais ($0.1227) per litre due to the tax cut and a direct subsidy program that will provide payments to diesel producers and importers.The export tax is aimed at increasing domestic refining and securing internal supply, the government said in a statement, though it remains unclear how much refining capacity Brazil has available to boost local diesel output.Petrobras was operating its refineries at around 91% of capacity last year and aimed to increase it to 95% in the first quarter. The company's near $3bn net profit in the fourth quarter was due in part to record exports during the period. Sales to international markets grew 41.7% year-on-year to 42bn reais, while domestic sales dropped 6.8% to 85.4bn reais.Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said the measures would not affect Petrobras's own fuel-pricing policy. Haddad added they are set to run until the end of the year, but that the government hopes for a short-term solution to the Middle East conflict. Related Story
