US Diesel Prices Soar as Trump Administration Faces Pressure to Impose Export Ban

Farmers in the US are facing record-high fuel expenses as they prepare for the fall harvest, with average diesel prices soaring to almost $6.50 per gallon this week.

The high costs are putting pressure on the Trump administration to impose a temporary ban on diesel exports, which could bring down prices.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has advised President Donald Trump to order a 90-day ban on US diesel exports, while Senate Majority Leader John Thune is 'open to exploring' federal actions that would take pressure off prices.

Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley has called for a full ban on US diesel exports, comparing the situation to bans on soybean and wheat export sales in the 1970s.

According to Ed Hirs, an energy fellow at the University of Houston, the crisis is 'hidden inside the overhead operational costs of freight trains, semi-trucks, and combine harvesters', with consumers experiencing the pain later when they see higher prices at the grocery checkout line.