Rice farmers in Maria Aurora, Aurora have turned to planting sweet potatoes instead of palay due to low buying prices and high production costs.
Farmers said they are disheartened by the current farm gate price of palay, which ranges from only P12 to P15 per kilo. At these rates, they said they are no longer making enough profit to cover their expenses.
To avoid losses, some chose to plant sweet potatoes, which require less water and are more suited to the current hot weather.
