Fears of fuel shortage drive apps, bargain hunters as farmers warn of running out

Fears of a fuel shortage across Australia have driven a surge in petrol-price checking apps as the nation's farmers warn they are on the brink of running out.

Petrol Spy, an app that allows users to search for cheap petrol, has surged to the top of app store charts as Google searches for the service skyrocket.

The app currently includes real-time fuel price maps for NSW, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

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It shows prices at major chains like Shell, Ampol and BP, as well as smaller independent locations.

At the time of writing, Petrol Spy is the number one free iPhone app in the Apple App Store and number three in the Google Play store.

It seems to have become a vital tool for Aussies looking to fill up without having to take out a small loan as the conflict in the Middle East continues.

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Petrol prices are through the roof despite NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury's warning to oil companies that the conflict was not an excuse for companies to "jack up prices".

Australian oil companies were accused of profiteering off the war in Iran as the average price of unleaded petrol surged well past $2 a litre in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane last week.

Now there are reports of prices as high as $3 a litre at some locations.

Meanwhile, Australian farmers running low on diesel are worried limited oil shipments could have bigger consequences for the nation.

"Australians should understand that while they can go to the servo and fill up, our farmers aren't getting their supplies," Nationals Leader David Littleproud said yesterday.

"If they run out, they can't produce your food and fibre."

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With oil shipments limited through the Strait of Hormuz, some big refiners are directing supply to retail bowsers and away from wholesale deliveries like farms.

The opposition has written to the government for help monitoring prices for farmers.

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