The town of Lata in Solomon Islands' remote Temotu province has been making do without some basic grocery items for several weeks.
Our correspondent reports that for 3 weeks all 27 shops in the small township have been without sugar and noodles after there was only one shipment from Honiara in September instead of the usual two.
Other basic food items such as rice, milk, flour and coffee are also running low.
The last shipment of grocery items was four weeks ago but a boat is expected this weekend.
Meanwhile the price of betel nuts has shot up, rising 1000 percent to two Solomon Islands dollars for a single fruit.
