ACADIA PARISH (MORSE) — Record-high fuel prices are straining businesses that rely on gas and diesel, driving up operating costs for crawfish producers and restaurant owners across south Louisiana.
Brant Lamm, owner of Crawfish Time, said the rising cost of fuel is affecting nearly every part of his operation — from field work to maintaining supply.
“Pumping on the fields costs a lot more,” Lamm said. “We’ve been in the middle of planting and doing dirt work, so it’s costing a lot more to operate our tractors.”
Lamm said his business burns about 300 gallons of fuel a day while running tractors, costing roughly $1,500 daily at current prices.
The increase comes as fuel prices continue to climb amid the war in Iran, adding pressure on industries dependent on transportation and agriculture.
While fuel costs for boats used in crawfish ponds have risen, Lamm said they remain a smaller expense compared to heavy equipment.
“It costs more to run your pond, but the boats we use don’t use a whole lot of gas,” he said. “So it’s not a tremendous expense.”
To offset diesel costs, Lamm said he has spent years converting as many wells as possible to electric power.
“Electric is cheaper than diesel,” he said. “If the wells are close enough to a three-phase service, we switch them. Some just aren’t feasible.”
Lamm said the rising cost of fuel is also affecting customers, leaving them with less disposable income.
“It definitely hurts the public,” he said. “That’s less money for them to eat crawfish.”
He added that demand for crawfish typically declines after Easter, which could lead to lower prices in the coming weeks. You can track local crawfish prices through KATC'S Crawdaq Index.
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