Suki vendor Leena Devi of Bebai Kona in Ba is worried about how much longer her family can cope with the prolonged dry weather conditions as water shortages continue to affect their cattle farming and livelihood.
Speaking to fijivillage News, Devi says her family is struggling with low water supply and currently relies on water stored in tanks as a backup.
She says the dry conditions have also made it difficult to find suitable grazing areas for their cattle, forcing them to travel long distances.
Devi says she walks about one mile every day to catch a bus to Ba Market, where she sells suki to earn a living.
She says the dry weather has also affected her suki business, with rising prices and pest problems adding to the challenges.
Devi says suki previously cost between $40 and $50 per kilogram, but prices have now increased to more than $100 per kilogram.
She adds that business is currently very slow, making it difficult to earn an income.
