In the Philippines, escalating oil prices, fueled by the Middle East conflict, are dramatically increasing the cost of harvesting and transporting vegetables. Consequently, farmers are choosing to leave their crops in the fields rather than sell them at a substantial loss.

Filipino farmers like Romeo Wagayan have ⁠been left with little choice ⁠but to let their vegetables rot in the ⁠field rather than sell them at a loss, as rising oil prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East drive up the cost of harvesting, labour and transport. “There’s nothing we can do,” said Wagayan, a 57-year-old vegetable farmer in the northern Philippine province of Benguet. “If we harvest ‌it, our losses only increase because of labour, transportation and packing costs. We don’t...