Derek Mathews watches as an old fuel pump fills a tractor with diesel on his 1,700ha arable farm in the North West. He frets over a nagging concern: how to secure and afford more fuel supplies before harvesting starts.
Its terribly expensive to buy fuel at the moment, but the question I need to answer right now is can I get fuel? Mathews said.
Farmers in South Africa and many other countries are struggling with a double price blow fuel and fertiliser costs have shot up as the US-Israeli war against Iran stifles key energy transit routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.
