US farmers hit by diesel up over 67% and fertiliser prices doubling ahead of harvest
Diesel prices have risen more than 67 per cent since February and some fertilisers have doubled, while crop prices are up only about 20 per cent.
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Farming costs in the United States have risen sharply, and farmers there are bearing the brunt. Higher diesel and fertiliser prices have hit their incomes and increased the financial pressure on them. It is being said that the restrictions imposed and the policies pursued by President Donald Trump have added to the burden. American farmers are also said to be tired of his policies.
Seeing costs keep climbing, farmers have begun to question the government's policies. David Schacht, a soybean farmer in Ohio, is finding the harvest more expensive this year.
Diesel prices are currently cited as a major reason for the higher costs. The harvest of soybeans, maize and other crops begins this month. Combine harvesters and other farm machinery need large quantities of diesel, and the higher prices are straining farmers' pockets. Diesel prices have risen by more than 67 per cent since February. Farmers are now asking whether farming is worth it at all.
It is not only diesel. Prices of some fertilisers needed to sow the next crop have also doubled. Preparing for the next crop while meeting the cost of harvesting the current one has become a major challenge for farmers. The Strait of Hormuz is vital for global energy and fertiliser trade, but disruptions there have upset supplies and added to farmers' difficulties. The ongoing conflict between Iran and the US and Israel has increased pressure on energy markets, affecting fuel and fertiliser prices.
Even as costs have risen, farmers are not earning enough from their produce. Prices of farm produce have risen by about 20 per cent this year, but the increase is far smaller than the rise in diesel and fertiliser prices.
Farmers say they cannot afford to leave crops in the fields, however high the costs go. They will have to complete the harvest whatever happens, and have few options other than to bear the higher costs.
The Trump administration has increased the financial burden on farmers and created many other challenges. Even so, farmers say they are not yet thinking of withdrawing their support for the Republican Party.
