PARIS, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The price of petrol now exceeds two euros (2.19 U.S. dollars) per liter in France because of the Ukraine crisis, putting a severe strain on business and household budgets.
BUSINESS SEEKING SURVIVAL
"I have 11 employees. As we are a family-owned business, I consider them members of my family. This means I have 11 families to take care of," said Cyril Piola, a transport company operator based in the east of France.
Facing the surging energy prices, the already-doubled prices of trucking equipment and of the trucks themselves, Piola was forced to "think about survival ... not existence but survival."
Recounting his worries to Xinhua, he said that each of his 11 trucks gobbles up around 1,000 liters of diesel per week, and with the rocketing fuel prices he had to spend 17,000 euros more to keep them rolling in the past two months than in the same period a year ago.
"Food prices are increasing, grain prices are increasing, and thus the price of biodiesel will also go up," he said, noting closing the company is the last resort if he wants to avoid taking on debt to feed his family.
HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS REJIGGERED
Electricity, wheat and food prices are piggy-backing on soaring oil and natural gas prices, pushing people in France to rejigger household budgets.
Mesut Mert, who works as a sales representative for the food company Danone, commented to Xinhua that the small local supermarkets stand to benefit from the steady increase in fuel prices.
"By going to local stores around the district where the person lives, it will be an advantage for them as they will spend less on fuel," he said.
In mid-February, the average price of petrol in France was 1.70 euros per liter.
When the Ukraine crisis hit in the last days of February, the price rocketed to over two euros per liter within a few days.
FROM BEEF TO CHICKEN
Jean-Yves Chardon and Hugo Danancher both work in agriculture. Chardon grows vegetables and Danancher raises cows in the east of France. They both rely heavily on diesel and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to satisfy their businesses' power demand.
The surge in fuel prices is forcing them to raise their selling prices and the costs of delivery are also going up.
"We all hope that this increase will be transitory," Chardon told Xinhua. "If it does not last longer than three months we should be able to manage, but we obviously don't know what the future holds."
"Spring is just around the corner, we need fuel to be able to produce," Danancher said. "The energy crisis will directly impact the country's agricultural economy."
Danancher also retails his produce, but the high fuel prices appear to force his customers to defer their orders.
"My clients cannot afford to buy beef anymore like they did before" as they all have to reassess their spending priorities, he said. They now tend to buy cheaper meats like imported chicken or pork.
WAYS TO SAVE MONEY FOR FUEL
Ludovic Cordier uses his private car to operate a "taxi" service for those who do not own a car or have had their license suspended. Most recently, his clientele also includes people who do not want to -- or cannot afford to -- refuel.
"I refuel my car twice per week as I am on call 24/7," he told Xinhua. His vehicle can fit six people and he used to charge one euro per km. These days he has to charge more to just stay afloat.
Marie-Laure Beyer, who lives near the city of Metz in northeast France, believes she has found a temporary solution to the fuel problem.
She now crosses the border to refuel in Luxembourg, 50 km from her home.
"It has been 15 years I have not gone to Luxembourg to refuel my car. But even with the increase of fuel prices over there, it is always between 20 and 25 eurocents cheaper per liter than in France," she said.
NURSES PAYING MORE FOR SAVING LIVES
Jennifer Pont is a registered traveling nurse working in a team of five in a rural area of France.
Specialized in home care, she travels 100 to 150 km per day. "I used to pay 55 euros a week for fuel, now it costs between 75 and 80 euros," she said.
Registered nurses are not eligible for government aid in France, and the allowances paid by the country's social security system have not changed for at least ten years, she said.
"Several patients cannot travel to the treatment centers because they are either geographically isolated or have difficulty with mobility," she said.
"Some of them cannot move on their own at all. They need their treatment and we simply cannot refuse to go and see them citing the high fuel prices."
TEMPORARY SOLUTION FOR COUNTRYSIDE MOTHER
For Evelyne Badonnel, who lives in a small town of about 950 inhabitants, the "solution" is even more temporary.
She told Xinhua that now she spends only 50 euros maximum at the pump at a time.
"In the countryside, public transport options are limited. There are buses serving the area where I live, but their schedule does not match my working hours," she said.
She said she was briefly considering buying an electric bicycle, but gave up because that would not enable her to take her children to school and other activities.
Starting from Monday, petrol stations of France's major retail brands will introduce an average decrease of around 35 eurocents per liter.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex has also said that from April 1 all French citizens who use petrol will be reimbursed 15 eurocents per liter, which will be in effect for four months.
According to the Bank of France, the annual inflation rate in the country is expected to reach 3.7 percent this year. ■