Farm leaders have warned that Australia could face a nationwide food supply crisis if the country’s limited fuel reserves run out during a global emergency.

The New South Wales Farmers Federation said Australia currently has only 22 days of diesel reserves — a dangerously low amount that could cripple food production and distribution amid ongoing international trade disruptions.

NSW Farmers acting chief executive Mike Guerin cautioned that the nation’s “fuel insecurity is the leak in the tank that could drain our nation of vital food supplies and export markets in just days.”

He warned that even a short disruption in oil shipments could have devastating consequences.
“One iceberg sank the Titanic, but a thousand things could stop our oil tankers from reaching Australian shores,” Guerin said. “And no fuel means no farm machinery, no tractors, no trucks – and that means no food on shelves, no food in shops, and no food leaving our shores.”

The Federation is urging the government to create a new national program to track supplies of essential agricultural inputs such as fuel, fertiliser, and machinery components, to safeguard the country’s food security.

Guerin proposed that the program should include mapping of fuel supply chains, an early warning system for potential shortages, and response plans to prevent or mitigate supply disruptions.

“Farmers deserve to know when a shortage of fuel, fertiliser or another key input is imminent, so they can prepare accordingly,” he said. “This isn’t about triggering panic buying but about preventing a national standstill in food supplies – and with 27 million mouths to feed, Australia simply cannot afford to wait until the system fails.”