White kerosene prices have more than doubled across the Kurdistan Region compared with the same period last year, reaching over 240,000 Iraqi dinars per barrel.
The fuel, commonly used for household heating in winter, has unusually become more expensive during the summer season.
Korsh Goran, a fuel seller in Halabja, said a barrel now sells for about 250,000 dinars. He noted that the same quantity cost around 120,000 dinars at this time last year.
A fuel trader in Erbil said the wholesale price reached 230,000 dinars per barrel on August 10. After transport and retail costs, consumers usually pay between 240,000 and 250,000 dinars.
Last summer, one barrel sold for around 107,000 dinars. The price later climbed to 200,000 dinars at the start of the cold season.
This year, prices continued rising even before winter. In May, one barrel cost about 160,000 dinars. By mid-July, it had reached 200,000 dinars, before increasing again in August.
Fuel traders say lower supply and stronger demand are the main reasons behind the increase. They also report broader price rises across other fuel products in the Kurdistan Region.
The Kurdistan Regional Government has not yet announced a new subsidized kerosene distribution program for households this year.
Last year, the Ministry of Natural Resources distributed nearly 135 million litres of kerosene between early September and January 4, 2026.
Around 674,500 families received subsidized fuel during that period. Under the government program, each household received one 200-litre barrel for 104,000 dinars.
The sharp rise in commercial prices could place more pressure on household budgets if costs remain high during the coming winter. Families that depend on kerosene for heating could face significantly higher seasonal expenses without subsidized supplies this winter.
Consumers are now watching for any government decision on subsidized distribution before temperatures begin to fall.
