Fuel and fertiliser theft a rising concern for farms

FARMERS are being urged to turn their farmyards into fortresses to protect diesel and fertiliser from thieves, amid high prices.

NFU Mutual says it is concerned that a combination of rocketing input prices and shortages could lead to a surge in farmers’ red diesel tanks and fertiliser stores becoming targets for theft.

Despite cuts in fuel duty following the Chancellor’s Spring Statement, white diesel is still costing over £1.75 a litre at many service stations and farmers are chasing supplies of red diesel to keep their tractors working the fields.

Although it is subject to lower tax, red diesel is almost double the cost it was a year ago.

Nitrogen fertiliser prices have increased up to four-fold in the last year - recently hitting £1,000 per tonne - and supplies have dried up, the leading rural insurer adds, as high gas prices mean that it is not economic for manufacturers to keep production going.

While some farmers are unable to get hold of fertiliser and others are refusing to order stocks at current prices, others who bought early have increasingly valuable stocks in their farm buildings.

“Together the price rises and shortages are threatening future food supplies – but making stored fuel and fertiliser a major temptation for thieves at the same time,” explained Rebecca Davidson, rural affairs specialist at NFU Mutual. “It’s making future planning a nightmare for farmers.

“Over the years we have found that criminals react very quickly to target goods which have become expensive and in short supply.”

Police across the UK are reporting an increase in thefts from fuel tanks, Ms Davidson added. “Because of this, we are urging farmers to review security measures in their farmyards and make plans to reduce the risk of diesel being taken, when tractors and combines are left out in the fields.

“In the past, fertiliser thefts have been rare and farmers haven’t needed to put security in place to protect stocks. However, the huge swing in prices makes it possible that thieves will be on the lookout for stored fertiliser and may even try to use farms’ own machinery to load it up to lorries.

“Every farm is different, and needs security measures appropriate to its location, layout and operation – but with normal trading hugely disrupted, everyone needs to up their game to reduce the risk of losing valuable supplies to criminals.”

In recent weeks, some farmers have started to plan increased onfarm red diesel storage tanks because of fears of shortages and even higher prices through harvest.

Ms Davidson continued: “Over the last decade, many farmers have reduced the amount of fuel they store on farm because of the theft risk. If it’s now good planning to keep more diesel on farm, care needs to be taken to place the tanks out of public view and put security measures in place.

“As well as the loss of expensive fuel, thieves often damage tanks leaving fuel running into the ground where it can cause horrendous pollution.

“As prices rise, it’s also important to keep in regular contact with farm insurers to make sure there is adequate cover in place for the fuel, fertiliser and stored crops on the farm.”

She concluded: “Another factor to take into consideration when planning extra storage is how quickly the fuel will be used. This is important because diesel can deteriorate over time causing fuel system issues and possible breakdown to machinery engines.”