Farmers Feeling the Heat of the Dry Weather (VIDEO)

CENTRAL SAANICH - Weather worshippers might be thanking the Sun-Gods for all the hot, dry weather, but for farmers across Vancouver Island and Southern BC those conditions are causing problems and destroying crops. On the Saanich Peninsula island farmers are watering crops around the clock, but if the rains don't come soon, you could end up paying. Vern Michell, owner of Michell Bros. Farm on Island View Road, says his farm has run the sprinklers around the clock for the past three weeks. As a result his costs have doubled. In the Fraser Valley, O'Bhatti Farm can't keep up. "we have three irrigation units running 24 hours, but we can't keep up. The wind and the sunshine is sucking up moisture" says Opinder Bhatti. Bhatti is BC's largest sweet corn grower. He expects 40 per cent of his crop will be left in the field. So far, Michell says he's eating the cost of the extra water, but if the dry weather continues, local vegetables could cost your more in the fall.

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