"For instance, in the Volga and Central Federal Districts, our colleagues report prices starting at 87 roubles per litre, and diesel is not available immediately—waiting times are up to four days," he says.
Specifically, in Mari El, diesel is currently sold from 88 roubles per litre; in the Ulyanovsk and Samara regions, 89 roubles per litre; and in the Belgorod and Bryansk regions, around 90 roubles per litre.
For enterprises operating under high credit burdens and rising production costs, even this increase becomes a sensitive factor.
Fuel for agricultural producers has risen by about a third over the past two months. Moreover, diesel is not always available immediatelySmall farms feel the price hike most acutely. Large agricultural holdings often have the ability to enter into long-term contracts, build up fuel reserves in advance, or benefit from more favourable procurement terms. For individual farmers and medium-sized enterprises, the scope for manoeuvre is significantly limited.
Furthermore, the impact of rising fuel prices is not limited to additional costs for fieldwork. Diesel remains a key component of transportation costs, so price increases also affect the logistics of agricultural products. The higher the costs of transporting raw materials and finished goods, the greater the pressure on the entire production chain.
Nonetheless, industry representatives are not inclined to dramatise the situation. Alexei Krasilnikov, Executive Director of the Potato Union, acknowledges the existence of fuel supply issues in certain regions but considers them manageable. When difficulties arise in one region, fuel is quickly brought in from neighbouring areas. Moreover, according to Krasilnikov, transport costs account for only about 5% of total expenses, so even a significant rise in fuel prices does not necessarily lead to a substantial increase in the price of vegetables and potatoes on the store shelf. The current situation affects producers themselves much more seriously.
Looking at exchange price movements, in the European part of Russia, quotations for diesel fuel (DF)—the main type of fuel used for agricultural work—have risen by 19% since the beginning of March, and by 17% in over-the-counter deals. But this is an average across the board; the European part of Russia is large, and agricultural enterprises, especially small and medium-sized ones, typically buy fuel from local oil depots rather than from large traders.
As noted by Yuri Stankevich, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Energy, in a conversation with RG, wholesale price increases may be higher than the dynamics of exchange indices. Not all fuel volumes are sold through the exchange—a significant portion is sold through over-the-counter contracts, and the price for the end-user farmer includes logistics, storage, and the credit burden of traders. When further price increases and reduced fuel supply are expected, market participants may include a "risk premium."
Spring field work traditionally creates a peak in diesel consumption. But experts are confident there is no fuel deficit nationwideThe problem of rising prices in the small wholesale segment of the market, which is not captured in St. Petersburg Exchange statistics, was already raised by the industry community during the period of gasoline price increases last autumn. Moreover, it is alarming that compared to May of last year, diesel fuel sales volumes on the exchange have declined significantly—by 80% (from 1.1 million to 0.61 million tonnes). This is despite the fact that in May of this year, there was one more day of fuel trading on the exchange.
According to Stankevich, the rise in wholesale fuel prices for farmers and local shortages result from a combination of several factors. Seasonal demand and logistics are the primary influences. Spring field work traditionally creates a peak in diesel consumption. In the southern regions, the strain on infrastructure is higher than the national average: demand is concentrated in a short period, while logistical capacities (railways, oil depots, truck fleets) are limited. Even with sufficient overall production volume, local "bottlenecks" arise, leading to temporary shortages. Today, the situation is exacerbated by ongoing attacks on oil refineries and storage infrastructure (oil depots and fuel storage facilities).
According to Rosstat data, by the end of April this year, production of coke and petroleum products in the country decreased by 9.2% compared to last year, and by 11.3% compared to March. Statistics on fuel output by type are unavailable, and aggregate data for May has not yet been published. Energy expert Kirill Rodionov believes that the April decline continued the trend of the first quarter of 2026, when the volume of primary oil refining in the country fell by 1.6% year-on-year (to 64.1 million tonnes), and the output of gasoline and diesel decreased by 4.8% (to 10.8 million tonnes) and 0.6% (to 21.4 million tonnes), respectively.
However, experts are confident that there is no nationwide fuel deficit. The issue concerns supply disruptions in some regions. As noted by Sergey Frolov, Managing Partner of NEFT Research, local shortages and price increases are linked to a physical fuel deficit in the southern regions caused by attacks on refineries, as well as disrupted logistics as a result. It is possible to purchase the required volume of fuel, but the problem lies in transporting it intact to its destination.
A similar view is held by Sergey Tereshkin, General Director of Open Oil Market: unscheduled repairs at refineries have led to a market frenzy. Once the situation with refinery utilisation becomes clearer, prices are likely to decline.
However, it is certainly not worth blaming everything on the difficult situation in the fuel market. According to Dmitry Gusev, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Association "Reliable Partner" and a member of the Expert Council of the "Russian Petrol Stations" competition, it is surprising that agricultural producers continue to complain about the rise in fuel prices every spring. The dynamics of fuel prices throughout the year are well known, especially to those whose business success depends on them. Fuel could be purchased in advance, when prices are not breaking records. Risks could be hedged—for example, by arranging with a specialised agricultural bank to finance fuel purchases during the low season, in winter.
To this, one might object that only large agricultural enterprises can afford to purchase fuel in advance. Medium-sized companies and small farmers hardly have the technical and financial capabilities to build up reserves in advance. As for loans, even on preferential terms for large companies, a loan for fuel purchases would be a serious financial burden. On the other hand, in nearly 40 years of the private sector's operation in agriculture, its participants could have learned to prepare for the annual spring rise in diesel prices.
The Ministry of Energy declined to comment on RG's inquiry. The Ministry of Agriculture did not provide comments at the time of publication.
Source: RG.RU
