Diesel Prices Nearly Double, Squeezing Nova Scotia Farmers
Diesel prices in Nova Scotia have surged from $1.394 per litre in May 2025 to $2.685, driven largely by the U.S.-Iran war. The spike is straining farm budgets, raising input costs, and threatening the future of family-run operations across the province.
The cost of diesel in Nova Scotia has nearly doubled since the spring planting season, placing severe financial pressure on farmers who depend on fuel for planting, harvesting, and heating greenhouses. During the 2025 spring planting season, a litre of diesel was priced as low as $1.394. The current posted price stands at $2.685 per litre.
This sharp increase means filling a standard 1,000-litre bulk storage tank now costs $2,685, compared with $1,394 in May 2025. During peak field work seasons such as planting and harvesting, it is common for farmers to use two tanks of diesel in a single day. The recent fuel market volatility driving these high prices is attributed in large part to the ongoing war between the United States and Iran.
Alicia King, president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture, operates Six Maples Farm near Antigonish and is the seventh generation in her family to run it. King notes that while consumers may see higher food prices as production costs are passed down, farmers are struggling with tight margins. Farmers report that costs for other inputs such as seeds, feed, fertilizer, and maintenance have also risen alongside diesel prices.
Jeff MacPherson, a sales representative at Green Diamond Equipment, a John Deere dealer near Truro, works closely with agricultural clients navigating these expenses. For farm operations, the scale of fuel consumption far exceeds typical passenger vehicles, which cost $50 to $100 to fill up. A farm truck fill-up ranges from $400 to $500, a tractor from $200 to $500, and a combine from $800 to $1,000.
The price volatility has increased the difficulty of budgeting and forecasting for farmers. Higher operational costs for running heavy machinery and heating greenhouses leave producers facing a choice: absorb the costs or risk losing saleable products. This dynamic threatens the sustainability of legacy family farming in Nova Scotia.