May 13. Relevant ministries and agencies are exploring the option of cutting the difference between oil and product export duties, a source in the government said. According to the same source, in early May the government forwarded a relevant order to the Industry and Energy Ministry, the Finance Ministry and the Economic Development and Trade Ministry as part of measures aimed at improving the country's customs and tariff policy. At present, the differential between export duties for crude oil, light and dark products is USD 98.70 and USD 210 per ton, respectively. The crude oil export duty stands at USD 340.10 per ton, USD 241.40 per ton of light products and USD 130.10 per ton of dark products. As reported, oil export duties will be raised by USD 57 to USD 398.10 per ton effective June 1, 2008 and those for light and dark products will be hiked to USD 280.50 and USD 151.10. In other words, the differential will increase to USD 117.60 and USD 247, respectively. The Russian government revises oil and product export duties every two months on the basis of results of 2-month monitoring of prices for Russian export blend Urals on global markets. The same source added that at issue could be the imposition of higher duties on oil products, since the establishment of export duties on oil is specified by law. A source in the finance ministry said that the ministry received a respective order and should make a reply by May 21. "Most likely, the reply will be negative" - the source believes. The source thinks that the domestic oil product market is saturated and higher duties will yield no results.