Overview
- Agricultural diesel has jumped in recent weeks in what the UPA farm group calls speculation by big oil companies after the Middle East war.
- Diesel and fertilizer costs are up about 40–45% in recent years while prices at the farm gate have barely moved.
- Many farms now operate at the limit, with some producers selling below their own costs to keep going.
- Employment and sales in the sector have fallen for more than two years, leading to closures of holdings and a slow emptying of rural areas.
- Farm groups seek stricter Food Chain Law enforcement and tax relief as the government backs a Mercosur deal to secure soy for feed and open markets.