Officials admit they are "extremely concerned" at the worrying trend, but insist Barnsley still has a lower number of racist incidents than neighbouring towns and cities.
Last year 225 racial incidents were reported across the borough - which has the smallest proportion of ethnic minorities in South Yorkshire.
But in the first six months of this year that figure has already been exceeded and is continuing to grow.
MP Mick Clapham said he was "very worried".
He said only last week a 13-year-old Zimbabwean boy was subjected to a barrage of racial abuse by a gang of five men who followed him as he walked to school hurling racist remarks and threats.
Mr Clapham claimed increased activities by the BNP could have fuelled "disharmony" in the community.
"The BNP are very active in certain parts of Barnsley right now, they polled 18 per cent in the recent Worsbrough by-election, they are leafleting homes and I genuinely believe their activities are designed to create unease and disharmony," he said.
"I sit on the Barnsley Multi Agency Panel and everyone involved is concerned. We are all working hard to try to identify why racial incidents are increasing and what we can do to alleviate the problem.
"I am appalled at what happened to that young boy, it is not the way we expect Barnsley people to behave and behaviour like that will not be tolerated."
Max Senior is the Barnsley racial harassment strategy co-ordinator. He said he believed BNP activity, coupled with increasing numbers of migrant workers flocking to the Dearne Valley, were fuelling the increase. There is no suggestion that BNP members are responsible for any of the incidents.
Mr Senior added: "It is worrying and we are trying desperately to find out why this is happening and adopt a strategy to tackle the problem." He pointed out that while the number of racial incidents had "dramatically risen" the figure was "substantially less" than in other parts of South Yorkshire.

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