Industry bodies are calling for action as fuel price rises and shortages threaten to impact Australian farmers’ ability to power their machines
Ensuring farmers have access to fuel should be made a national priority, industry representative groups have argued.
Victorian Farmers Federation president Brett Hosking is among those who know the importance of maintaining fuel supply to regional areas.
“For most Victorians, a fuel shortage means cancelled plans, longer queues and a tighter weekly budget. For farmers, timing is everything,” he says.
“Farming runs on narrow weather windows, and if the tank is empty at the wrong moment you can’t just wait for prices to settle, you lose the opportunity, and sometimes the entire crop.”
Hosking has called for changes to commuter behaviour in Melbourne, including incentivising this through free public transport, saying it could make a meaningful difference to farmers who are facing the prospect of fuel shortages.
“If just one in five Victorian car commuters shifted to public transport, the fuel saved would be enough to plant roughly half of Australia’s wheat, barley, canola and lentil crop,” he says.
“A little would go a long way. Even taking one or two trips a week on the train, tram or bus instead of driving can leave more fuel in the system for the jobs that keep supermarket shelves stocked.”
With Middle East conflicts impacting global fuel supplies, the federal government announced a temporary reduction of the Minimum Stockholding Obligation last week.
This will allow up to 762 million litres of petrol and diesel to be released from Australia’s domestic reserves, a move which has been welcomed by National Farmers Federation president Hamish McIntyre.
“This is an important step by the government that acknowledges the shortages being experienced in regional Australia, particularly as independent fuel retailers struggle to access supply through the spot market,” he says.
“The release of diesel supplies is especially important, given how critical it is to agricultural production.
“Trucks, tractors and fishing boats all run on diesel. It’s essential for harvesting crops, transporting livestock and fodder, and getting food and fibre to market.
“We will continue working closely with its members and government to understand the exact composition of this release and ensure the fuel is reaching the regional communities and industries that need it most.”
NSW Farmers is another organisation which has spoken out about the fuel shortages, also being involved in a government roundtable on the issue.
“NSW Farmers position on this is absolutely clear, the state and federal governments must ensure there is a guaranteed supply of diesel for agriculture as a priority,” president Xavier Martin says.
Martin also said last week that fuel challenges were already beginning to hit farmers and the impact on operations would be felt.
“Right now, we’ve got farmers across the country who have run out, or are running out of fuel, while others are only a week or two away from empty,” he says.
“Normally they’re refilled by bulk suppliers, many of them smaller independent distributors in rural and regional areas.
“Those suppliers are telling our members they’re dry as well, with no more fuel coming.
“This fuel is vital to keep feedlots running. It’s vital to keep livestock and milk moving around the country. It’s vital to get sowing underway.”
