With silage season right around the corner, farmers and agri-contractors who protested on O'Connell Street have warned that they will not be able to afford to mow fields this year due to rising fuel prices.

Today (Wednesday, April 8) marked day two of a nation-wide fuel protest.

Protesters have called for urgent government action to lower the price of diesel and kerosene.

One contractor from Co. Meath, Christopher Duffy, told Agriland that the current situation is "unworkable" for both farmers and contractors.

"We're heading into a situation where [contractors] won't be able to afford to work because our customer [farmers] won't be in a position to pay us what we need to get," he said.

Duffy also warned that farmers, as "price takers", cannot pass rising costs to processors or retailers.

"When the farmer sells their product, they don't decide what to charge.

"The factory tells them what they're paying them; so we're passing a charge on this year to a customer that's getting less for the product than they were this time last year," Duffy added.

'Knock-on effect'

Hailing from Co. Kildare, farmer and contractor, John Dallon, also spoke to Agriland about the wider impact that rising fuel prices will have across the food supply chain.

Dallon said that food prices at supermarkets and restaurants will be "so expensive because it is inflated with the price of diesel."

"It's going to escalate to a stage that they won't be able to afford to put food at the table," he warned.

Dallon also highlighted the uncertainty that exists about the overall impact the Middle East conflict could ultimately have on the contracting sector.

Because according to Duffy "if the war finished tomorrow, we would still have an issue with oil for the next year."

"You can't do away with that much oil refineries around the world and expect it not to have a knock-on effect on oil production," he said about the Middle East situation.

Duffy wants the government to put more immediate supports in place to deal with the knock on impact in Ireland of the Middle East conflict.

"Because a lot of businesses won't last a month," he added.

Government support

Dallon and Duffy want the government to reduce fuel duties and remove carbon taxes on green diesel.

According to them this is not an "unreasonable" ask.

They believe that the government should "reduce the duty on fuel and do away with that carbon tax".

Previously, the government cut green diesel by 3c/L, diesel by 20c/L and petrol by 15c/L.

However, Dallon claimed that these measures were a "total insult to the farmers and contractors of Ireland."

'Serious recession going to happen'

Separately the president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) Sean McNamara also attended the fuel price protest in Dublin today.

He told Agriland that a "serious recession is going to happen in this country if the fuel keeps going the way it is."

McNamara has also called for a significant reduction in fuel prices, including green diesel returning to 90c/L and white diesel to €1.60/L.

The ICSA president highlighted how the ongoing fuel crisis is impacting vulnerable groups in rural communities, particularly elderly people.

"Our older generation can't afford to buy kerosene... it's either eat or die of cold," he said.

Rising inputs

McNamara voiced concerns over other inputs rising as a result of the Middle East conflict.

"Every input we're  putting into farming is doubling up in price, but what we're selling now is falling in price," he said.

Protest

Many fuel price protesters have pledged to continue their demonstration until "meaningful engagement" with government officials take places.

According to Duffy however, they are willing to stop the protest - if there is "one phone call" to them from government ministers.

"The government are blocking up this city, towns and ports all over this country; they give us a meeting and this city opens up instantly," he added.