HAITI-WEATHER-AGRICULTURE

Vendors sell their products November 20, 2012 in a market place in Petion-Ville, Haiti. Food prices and the cost of living has skyrocketed in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the deadly storm that tore through the Caribbean long before reaching America. Farmers in southwest Haiti, already struggling, said they had "lost everything" after the tropical storms that have hit the island this year. "I am ruined. I lost everything. I invested more than 50,000 gourdes (about 2,000 dollars)," said Dieunord Elismé, a farmer of 27 years, who also lost his home. "Now, we must all over again." As Dieunord, many small farmers have seen their investment disappear."We've been hit twice," he recalls. And when Hurricane Sandy late October, high winds and floods destroyed vegetable crops that were on the eve of the harvest. Livestock, plantations and houses were swept away, melting all the savings of farmers. The industry has lost a total of $ 104 million. Haiti, which produced approximately 50% of its food needs, will fall below 40% because of bad weather, also warn agricultural experts. AFP PHOTO / Thony BELIZAIRE (Photo credit should read THONY BELIZAIRE/AFP via Getty Images)