Russian state gas firm OAO Gazprom (GAZP.RS) has agreed with the government to let domestic natural gas prices reach the level of export prices by 2014, the Interfax news agency reports Thursday citing Russia's Energy Minister Sergey Shmatko.
Russia's government had originally planned for gas prices to reach netback parity, which will make domestic gas sales as profitable as exports, by 2011.
Netback parity will now be reached in 2014, Shmatko said.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Monday that by Jan. 1, 2011, Russian consumers will only pay 55% of the European price, excluding transportation costs and export duty.
Domestic gas prices are heavily subsidized in Russia, and a planned liberalization of the market has been postponed amid Russia's worst economic crisis in a decade.