SNFU says fuel cost hammering rural economy
SNFU says fuel cost hammering rural economy
FARMING is hit as hard as any industry in this country by fuel costs that are 61% higher than the EU average, says the Scottish NFU.
In a week that saw the national "Dump the Pump" campaign, where motorists were encouraged to boycott petrol stations for a day, the union called for an immediate government review of the impact of high fuel prices on the rural economy.
"Let there be no doubt that the continuing rise in the price of fuel is crippling Scotlands farmers. Indeed, the whole rural economy is being adversely affected by taxation measures aimed, it is alleged, at dealing with traffic congestion and environmental problems that are more prevalent in urban areas," said union vice-president, John Kinnaird.
The union insisted there must be an immediate cut in fuel tax in rural areas if farmers were to compete fairly on an international market. *