Irish green diesel eases slightly from peak, but contractors still struggling with fuel costs
A survey by Irish farming outlet Agriland puts the average green diesel price nationwide at €1.56 per litre this week, just below the September peak. Agricultural contractors say fuel costs remain a heavy burden.
Green diesel, the tax-marked fuel used to run farm and forestry machinery in Ireland, currently averages €1.56 per litre including VAT. It reached €1.58 per litre in September and October, so prices have eased a little in recent weeks. Even so, agricultural contractors, who carry out work with their own machines on behalf of farmers, remain gloomy about the situation.
Irish farming news site Agriland asked contractors this week what they were paying in their areas. Many said prices change daily and they see no reason to expect further falls. A forestry contractor in the north-west said machines cannot run on water, so he has to accept whatever price is offered. He said he has stopped checking prices because shopping around is not worth the effort. Another contractor said he is considering scaling back his operation because of the cost of diesel, but intends to keep going as long as he can.
Prices by county
The lowest price recorded was in Co. Cork, at €1.49 per litre. In Co. Wexford, prices of €1.52 and €1.53 were quoted, while Co. Westmeath was at €1.55. The highest price, €1.60 per litre, was found in both Co. Tipperary and Co. Donegal.
Excise figures
Separately, Ireland's Central Statistics Office (CSO) reported that excise clearances of marked gas oil, or green diesel, fell by 1.5% in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period last year. Clearances for August 2026 came to 86 million litres, the lowest figure for an August since 2014. Clearances measure the duty paid on oil removed from bonded warehouses and serve as a proxy for sales.
