BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) Diesel prices in Bakersfield climbed to another record this week, adding new pressure on farmers and other businesses that rely on fuel to move goods.
On Tuesday, the price per gallon of diesel in Bakersfield hit $8.06 a gallon, six and a half months after the war with Iran started as the cost of diesel continues to keep rising.
The increase comes as a key pipeline in Saudi Arabia remains shut down after Iranian-backed proxies struck it with drones.
Diesel hits record $8.06 a gallon in Bakersfield amid Middle East supply disruptions (KBAK/KBFX)
At the same time, Houthi militants in Yemen, also backed by Iran, have seized control of islands and coastal towns on the Bab al Mandeb Straight, another key petroleum transit route.
Over the weekend, President Trump blamed Ukraine’s President Volodomyr Zelensky for high diesel prices, saying Ukraine’s military strikes on Russian oil refineries are contributing to a shortage. “He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia. Let him go after targets but not diesel fuel because he’s causing a shortage of diesel,” Trump said.
On Capitol Hill, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jefferries said high energy costs are a problem of the president’s own. “The reckless and costly war of choice has increased gs prices on everyday Americans,” Jefferies said.
Back in Bakersfield, higher diesel prices are driving up supply chain costs for local farmers, including Kern County farmer Jason Giannelli.
Diesel hits record $8.06 a gallon in Bakersfield amid Middle East supply disruptions (KBAK/KBFX)
“There’s a lot of things that it affects than just the farm. It affects everybody,” Giannelli said.
He said higher diesel costs have created higher costs for items such as fertilizer, crop inputs and parts.
“It makes our fertilizer costs more. Not only that our crop inputs. Other crop inputs. And then our parts,” he said.
Diesel hits record $8.06 a gallon in Bakersfield amid Middle East supply disruptions (KBAK/KBFX)
Despite the strain, Giannelli said farmers are trying to adapt. “Right now, it’s just its part of the economy right now. It’s just, we have to roll with it. Hopefully things get better and that’s the only thing we can hope for,” he said.