Fuel price fury as rural areas run on fumes
Rising costs at pumps is putting strain on businesses
Perthshire’s rural businesses are feeling the squeeze as the cost of fuel gets increasingly higher.
In a year that has seen oil prices rise by 66 per cent, Highland Perthshire has hard up businesses particularly starved of choice when it comes to refuelling.
In May, figures from the RAC indicated that the price of a litre of petrol increased by more than at any point in 18 years.
The average cost of a litre of diesel went up by 6.12p, with unleaded increasing by 5.98p.
Farmers burn red diesel to power their tractors. And while it is a cheaper fuel than regular diesel sold to the public, the price of a fill-up has climbed alarmingly.
Morag Kennedy, whose family farms near Aberfeldy, said: “We had a look back and red (tractor) diesel prices are 23 per cent above the same time last year, which is very significant as we go into silage and hay time,where long hours mean high usage of fuel.
“With regard to white diesel and petrol, by our estimations this is up by 11.5 per cent (Co-op, Aberfeldy), which really eats in to any profit margin in the selling of cattle and sheep.
“I’m sure this will affect every other business in an area such as ours, including tourism.”
The essential nature of fuel is a headache for Donald Riddell, director of Highland Safaris and Loch Tay Safaris: “Yes it’s a problem.
“We use about £30,000 of fuel each year between the boat and the LandRovers and, of course, our prices are set for the year, so we as a business have to take the hit.
“It’s getting more and more difficult to stay competitive and in business in a rural location.”
Another Highland Perthshire business seeing red over out-of-city fuel station prices is David Fox-Pitte, director of Wild Fox Events, based on the south side of Loch Tay.
As he filled his vehicle at the Co-op’s Jet Brand petrol station in Aberfeldy, he said: “Today in Aberfeldy, the price is 131.9p per litre for unleaded, and 135.9p for diesel.
“Just filling three quarters of my Discovery’s tank has cost £70. If I could do this at Asda in Perth, it’s 8p per litre cheaper.
“You don’t have to be a genius to do the maths, the high prices we’ve got right now is strangling, particularly if going into urban areas to refuel is not an option. Because Wild Fox is involved in events like this weekend’s Rob Roy Challenge and the Cateran Yomp that need marquees, catering and sports equipment transported about, there’s no alternative to using 4X4 vehicles and they don’t half get through fuel.”
Jet Local supplies the Co-op in Aberfeldy where unleaded is 131.9p per litre. The same Jet fuel at Blairgowrie Service Station is £127.9p.
Asda announced a price cap of £1.25 for petrol and £1.28 for diesel across its UK filling stations – a drop of up to 3p and 2p respectively.
All prices correct as of 10am on Wednesday, June 20 according to ww.petrolprices.com businesses in Perthshire are being hit hard by petrol prices