Farmers hit by red diesel price surge as PM offers no relief

Farmers facing a sharp rise in red diesel costs were told during a Commons debate on the Middle East crisis that the government was “looking at contingencies” but had offered no immediate financial support.

It comes as farmers and hauliers across the UK consider staging fuel protests similar to those already seen in Ireland.

During a statement to MPs on Monday 13 April, prime minister Sir Keir Starmer acknowledged that fuel prices for agriculture had doubled in recent months, linking the surge directly to the Iran war and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.

See also: UK farmers weigh fuel protest action amid rising costs

The issue was raised by Alison Hume, Labour MP for Scarborough and Whitby, who told the house that farmers in her constituency had seen red diesel rise from 64p/litre in January to more than £1.20/litre, just as spring field work was getting under way.

“With the busiest period of the farming calendar approaching, will the prime minister outline what measures the government are considering to support farmers impacted by these rising costs?” she asked.

Sir Keir replied: “We have been looking at that in the various meetings we have been having, particularly on the red diesel question, and we are looking at contingencies.”

However, no specific support package, rebate or duty relief was announced.

Spring workload under pressure

The timing of the cost spike is especially damaging for arable and mixed farms, with cultivations, drilling and fertiliser applications peaking in April and May.

Several MPs warned that fuel price inflation could feed directly through to higher food prices, raising food security concerns.

Ben Lake, Plaid Cymru MP for Ceredigion Preseli, told the house that the agricultural sector feared prolonged disruption could result in higher food inflation.

Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron highlighted that England was now “the only country in the UK and the whole of Europe that does not use its farm payment scheme to actively support food production”, which he described as a “glaring omission” from the government.

Sir Keir accepted that food security was “really important”, but again tied solutions primarily to de-escalation in the Middle East, saying the main focus was on “getting the strait reopened as quickly as possible”.

Ireland comparison 

Pressure mounted on ministers after MPs highlighted intervention by the Irish government, which has reportedly introduced daily support for fuel-intensive sectors.

Jim Shannon, DUP MP for Strangford, told Sir Keir that the Irish government was providing about €5m (£4.3m) of support every day for the next 13 weeks for the farming and fishing sectors.

He urged the UK government to match that intervention across the UK, including England.

The PM said the government was “looking across the board at what support can be put in place” but stopped short of confirming any comparable scheme.

No fuel duty relief

Despite repeated calls from Conservative, DUP and Reform MPs to suspend or reduce fuel duty, particularly for rural users, the government reiterated that fuel duty remains frozen until September – but no agricultural exemption or red diesel support was promised.

Sir Keir repeatedly stressed that reopening the Strait of Hormuz was “the single most effective way” to stabilise prices, rather than domestic fiscal action.

Both NFU Scotland and the Ulster Farmers’ Union have urged urgent government action, warning that rising fuel and fertiliser costs threaten farm viability, food production and food security while intensifying political engagement.