Iran War Sends California Farms Spinning: Soaring Fuel and Fertilizer Costs
The Iran conflict is disrupting Middle East shipping and driving up costs for California farmers: container rates to the region have surged (now about $7,500 per box), diesel in California averages around $7.26 a gallon, and fertilizer prices are climbing. Growers like Sequoia Nut Co. face cash-flow strain as shipments are redirected or canceled, exporting markets fade, and Ramadan demand shifts; farmers are stockpiling inputs, seeking efficiency gains, and pressing for federal relief amid preexisting tariff and weather-related pressures.
