Angry farmers

RICE. An agriculture official from Manila speaking before some farming families in Panay, said: "Learn to eat corn, cassava and camote to reduce the country's rice consumption." An Ear informer said that statement angered the elders of the farming families who are rice farmers.

INSULT. The farmers felt insulted, according to the Ear informer. "They want us to eat root crops and corn while they corner all the rice we produce?" the farmers were quoted as saying. The farmers live in a province where the people plant and eat rice not corn. And they eat camote only if cooked a-la camote-cue, our informer said.