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Global diesel prices hit record highs, further rises possible
Diesel above $6 a gallon is squeezing farm budgets as analysts warn fuel shortages and high crude prices could keep costs elevated.
On Monday, September 21, 2026, U.S. retail diesel prices reached a record average of $6.505 per gallon, surging past $6 in most states as geopolitical tensions strained global supply chains.
Global diesel shortages stem from the ongoing U.S.-Iran war, which disrupted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, combined with Ukrainian drone strikes damaging Russian refineries and Moscow extending export bans.
Record fuel costs are severely squeezing profit margins for truckers and farmers, with long-haul drivers facing fill-up costs ranging from $1,200 to over $1,900 per trip, according to industry data.
Higher diesel prices are cascading through supply chains, with retailers absorbing freight cost increases that could eventually raise prices for consumers on produce, dairy, and meat products this fall.
Experts warn heating oil costs could rise by more than 30 percent this winter as the U.S. enters the season with distillate inventories 15 percent below the five-year average.