Vietnam farmers hunt for scarce E5 gasoline for old farm equipment after fuel shift

From 1 June, Vietnam's fuel market offers only two bio‑fuels, E5 and E10, replacing conventional gasoline. The Ministry of Industry and Trade advises that older gasoline‑powered machines—such as tractors, leaf blowers, generators and motorbikes—may not be compatible with E10, prompting owners to seek E5 instead.

Farmers like Hoàng, who runs a dairy and durian farm in Đồng Nai, say his equipment consumes over 100 litres of fuel per month. He worries that using E10 could cause malfunctions or shorten machine life, raising repair and replacement costs. With his stored RON 95 fuel nearly exhausted, he faces a shortage of E5 at local stations. The Vietnam Petroleum Association reports a sharp rise in E5 demand, up from about 10 % of total fuel consumption before the policy change. Technical experts note that ethanol in E10 can affect rubber and plastic components in high‑rpm equipment, reinforcing the preference for E5 among users of older machinery.