Agri Western Cape says it is aware of farmers experiencing ongoing challenges with diesel supply at certain retail depots, particularly in rural agriculture production areas.

The key concern is that supply is not consistently reaching the retail level.

Agri Western Cape says they have already received reports of “dry” depots, meaning that producers are unable to access diesel despite its broader availability.

The Western Cape and National governments have both reiterated that there is enough fuel supply in the province and the country, and cautioned against hoarding.

Agri WC CEO Jannie Strydom says they are deeply concerned about the situation.

“Diesel is a critical input for agriculture operations – from planting and harvesting to transport and logistics. Any disruption in supply poses direct risks to production, food security and the sustainability of farming operations.”

Strydom has called on all stakeholders in the fuel value chain to ensure full transparency and to address any bottlenecks at the distribution level without delay.

He says the matter requires immediate intervention to prevent further disruption in the agricultural sector.

Agri WC has already escalated the issue to the Provincial Disaster Management Department and Premier Alan Winde.

Winde has acknowledged that there are constraints in the system, but it has nothing to do with actual supply shortages.

He says they are investigating where and why supply disruptions are occurring, while monitoring the impact on key sectors like agriculture and transport.