Dry Spell Makes North Farmers Pray for Rain
Naren Pratap, a cash crop farmer at Boubale in Labasa said he barely makes $80 a month because of the dry spell.
Mr Pratap had been planting and selling different types of vegetable and root crops the last 16 years on his ten acre land and usually makes $1000 from his produce when the weather is favourable.
He sells vegetables to Labasa and Boubale market vendors.
“The farm is dried up since there is no rain; so you can imagine the struggles we are facing,” the 58-year-old farmer said.
He also used to plant sweet potatoes that would be harvested after three months.
“We and the market vendors are facing the hardships because the price of vegetables will hike up.” Labasa market vendor Lusiana Namatai said prices of vegetables in the market have soared follow with the scarcity of supplies.
At the beginning of last month vegetables were being sold at almost twice or more than previous months by the suppliers and farmers at the Labasa market.
The 1200 Labasa market vendors have no choice but to double prices of what they sell.
This time of the year is always a bad time for vendors,” she said.
“Natural disasters are beyond our control; it is something we cannot change, however while watering plants farmers need to use water sparingly,” Mr Seruiratu said.