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Farmers lambaste fuel hikes

Grain farmers
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Commercial farmers are concerned the latest fuel price hikes will slow down production. Grain farmers are currently preparing land for the summer planting season.

The steep fuel hikes will have a knock-on effect on the farmers, they have barely recovered from the 2016 drought.

Farmer, Lourens Schlebusch says production costs are also escalating and this will push food prices even higher.

“I made calculations this morning and per hector I will lose R100. Basically this will mean I will be losing half my profit.”

Grain SA Economist, Corne Louw, says diesel prices will be 29% higher than the same period last year.

“This time of the year is the highest usage of diesel because they starting to prepare the soil and start to plant from the 15th of October. So this higher diesel price will definitely have a huge impact on the production cost and also the profitability.”

The increase in the fuel price will impact on transporting agricultural inputs, such as fertiliser and seed.

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