The fuel price riseaggravated by the conflict in the Middle East, is transferring its effects to the entire economic chain, from transport and the countryside to homes. Transporters, farmers and families agree that costs do not stop rising and that, in many cases, they cannot pass this increase on what they charge, which reduces their income and triggers uncertainty.
In the transportation sector, the impact is direct and quantifiable. Óscar, transporter, explains in a brief interview for ‘The Sixth’that filling the tank of his truck has gone from costing “about 1,000 euros to 1,450” in just a few weeks, which represents an increase of 45%.
“From yesterday to today, diesel fuel has risen 5 cents,” he adds, highlighting that this increase has been accompanied by the rise in the cost of other essential inputs, such as tires or oils. “All of this affects us and we cannot pass it on to clients due to supply and demand,” he laments, emphasizing that “the aid is conspicuous by its absence and the Government does not want to know anything about us.”
The field looks for alternatives in the face of rising costs
The pressure It is also being seen in the agricultural sector. Daniel, a farmer, points out, also in an interview for ‘La Sexta’, that not only the price of fuel has increased, but also that of chemical fertilizers, “with increases of between 30% and 40%.” For this reason, he assures that “what we are doing is opting for organic fertilizers to try not to impact the price on the final consumer.”
This change in strategy reflects a forced adaptation to the increase in costs, although its long-term viability and the capacity of the sector to absorb the increase in costs without passing it on to final consumer prices are questioned. But this is not punctual. In recent months, various reports have warned of the impact of the rise in energy on the entire food chain, from production to distribution.
The pressure reaches homes
The final impact is felt with special intensity in homes. Claudia, a mother of three children and a worker in a fruit shop, describes an increasingly complicated situation. “I am noticing the rise in prices every day. I see it every day and it is very worrying,” he tells ‘La Sexta’. Food, he emphasizes, has become the main concern, because “I have three children, they grow and we have to feed them. Every day it is becoming more difficult.”
His testimony reflects how the increase in costs in productive sectors ends up being passed on to the consumer, especially in basic goods such as food.
Altogether, the voices collected reflect a chain that begins with the price of energy and extends to the entire economy, ending in families. While the productive sectors warn of the impossibility of absorbing high costs, households already perceive their consequences on a daily basis.