'Green diesel has skyrocketed' - Urgent measures for agricultural industry needed

Fianna Fáil TD for North Tipperary and Northwest Kilkenny, Ryan O’Meara has called for immediate government action to tackle the rising costs affecting farmers.

The Tipperary TD contacted the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Public Expenditure highlighting his concerns in relation to the “unsustainable” price hikes of green diesel since the outbreak of war in Iran.

Speaking on this today, Deputy O’Meara said: “I have written to the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Public Expenditure to request urgent action to assist the farming community and agricultural contractors. The price of green diesel has skyrocketed since the war in Iran broke out.

“The current prices facing farmers and contractors are unsustainable. Tillage farmers are being hammered with prices and as we face into silage season, contractors will have no option but to considerably increase their prices charged to farmers.

"On an individual farm level, I am being contacted by farming families on a daily basis who simply let the numbers speak for themselves. It is blatantly unsustainable at the moment.

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“I have asked senior government members to take urgent, targeted action. This is about financial viability of farming operations this year as farmers simultaneously face rising input costs and falling beef and milk prices. Action is needed now to have any chance of offsetting a knock-on price increase to consumers.

“I fully acknowledge the measures taken to date by government for consumers, and the reality is that no government can fully protect the public from the impacts the war in Iran is having on global markets, but it is particularly damaging to the farming sector at the moment and this must be addressed,” Deputy O'Meara said.