The farmers have to pay for heavily excised fuel, fertilizers, seeds, and machinery parts. The middle men want to live comfy lives... the government wants the most revenue from the fewest citizens.
Heaven forbid I ever have a garage sale here again. Before the advertised time of opening, van gangs are trying to leap over your fence and demand you sell them everything and for whatever fair price you're asking, minus 75%. Then they put the stuff in their shops for 10 times the price.