By Tinomudaishe Muzanenhamo
The country’s agricultural sector is facing mounting pressure as rising fuel prices push up production costs with wheat farmers among the hardest hit, the Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union has warned.
The increase follows recent fuel price adjustments by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulation Authority which show diesel prices rising by more than 30% between March and April 2026.
As of early April, diesel was priced at ZWG 53.60 per litre (about $2.11) with a further mid-April change increasing ethanol blending from E5 to E20.
The farmers’ union says the adjustment effectively raises costs because blended fuel delivers lower efficiency.
For wheat farmers now entering the planting season the impact is immediate.
The ZFU estimates fuel requirements at around 115 litres per hectare, costing roughly $242.65 — a significant jump from about $174.80 per hectare in the previous season.
“It is no longer lucrative to grow wheat as budgets are reflecting a decrease in income after harvests,” the union said in a statement.
Other key inputs have also risen sharply.
Prices of ammonium nitrate fertiliser have increased by more than 24% while urea has climbed by nearly 38%.
Costs for lime and cereal blends have also gone up.At the current government-set producer price of $430 per tonne and with average yields of five tonnes per hectare, the union says farmers’ margins are being squeezed.
Although the government has removed some fuel taxes to cushion sectors including agriculture and transport, the ZFU says the relief has not been enough.
Higher transport costs are also raising concerns that some farmers may turn to informal markets rather than official selling channels.
The price increases come amid heightened global tensions linked to conflict in the Middle East which has disrupted energy markets.
The union warned that farmers could shift away from fuel-intensive crops, a move that may threaten national food security and undermine Vision 2030, the country’s plan to achieve upper-middle-income status.
It has called on the government to introduce short-term fuel subsidies and further tax relief while urging farmers to adopt conservation agriculture methods to cut fuel and input use.
“We live in a global economy characterised by interconnected markets. Conflict in one region affects us all. The surge in fuel prices is making everyday life more expensive, especially when it comes to putting food on the table.” the ZFU said
