Posted on 04/06/2008 1:29:02 PM PDT by FreeInWV
Shortages of the staple crop of half the world's people could bring unrest across Asia and Africa, reports foreign affairs editor Peter Beaumont A global rice shortage that has seen prices of one of the world's most important staple foods increase by 50 per cent in the past two weeks alone is triggering an international crisis, with countries banning export and threatening serious punishment for hoarders.... The impact will be felt most keenly by the world's poorest populations, who have become increasingly dependent on the crop as the prices of other grains have become too costly.
The sharp rise in rice prices has been driven by many factors, not least by a race between African and South-east Asian countries to secure sufficient stocks to head off the risk of food riots and social unrest. Fears over the potential impact of the rice crisis has been heightened by estimates by both the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation - which has predicted the 3.5 per cent shortfall - and comments from the World Bank president, Robert Zoellick, on the organisation's website, estimating that '33 countries around the world face potential social unrest because of the acute hike in food and energy prices'. According to the World Bank's figures, the real price of rice rose to a 19-year high last month, while the real price of wheat has hit a 28-year high. Analysts have cited many factors for the rises, including rising fuel and fertiliser expenses, as well as climate change. But while drought is one factor, another is the switch from food to biofuel production in large areas of the world, in particular to fulfil the US energy demands. p>
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Isn't biofuel making the world a wonderful place?
Food riots will be possible only in the first stages of famine.
well we can be grateful we live in America. No matter how high food prices get I doubt we’ll see famine.
We have that going for us. Might have to eat corn, but we’ll get by.
However, this last growng season there was a substantial loss in the wheat crop in the Southern Hemisphere. What had been a world supply worth 60 days of wheat turned into a world supply worth 30 days of wheat.
Simple math tells you where the pressure is coming from ~ if wheat is in short supply, then other grains must be drawn on to make up the shortage. That, in turn leads to a chain of localized shortages and price rises as these other grains are diverted to other places and uses.
If we have a cool, dry summer in the Northern Hemisphere like we had in the Southern Hemisphere the wheat shortage will probably result in widespread famines and deaths in the millions.
A little Global Warming would be most welcome this year!
Take your complaints to the Algore.
BTW, this will be good for the United States' economy. The embargos against our bioengineered corn, wheat, rice and other plants will broken as starving people demand food to eat. We will probably be able to recover half or more of our outstanding debt burden in just a couple of years if we work this right.
Corn also is rising in price, I’ve noted several articles recently but haven’t thoroughly read them.
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Plant some corn and green peppers and tomatoes and onions and Zucchini squash in the back yard
Just a few pepper plants and tomato plants will easily produce enough for your family
I saw tomato plants planted close to green Bell peppers in South Florida waaay back by a young assistant County Agent on his own farm acreage - tomatos tied to the pepper plants
The only fertilizer he used he got a local area dairies - for free - he borrowed our dump truck and got 3 dried loads of manure in an afternoon with 2 of his cousins doing the shoveling
His whole crop brought top dollar at the huge Farmer’s Market and when he quit picking (beacause of lower late yields) he let the FFA and anyone else come and “glean”, wash, and pack them for themselves to use
I brought 5 Vo-Ag students out there in my convertible when I was in HS because the FFA truck was full of FFA boys already!
My reward: 10 hampers of Little Yellow Crookneck Squash (washed and individually wrapped in the field), Bell Peppers, and green beans (green beans always brought big bucks) - a restaurant chef on the Federal Highway was thrilled to get fresh vegetables for his tourist and locals customers - He gave me $15 a hamper
Not too shabby for an afternoon’s work back when gasoline was cheap - but then the Feds & state did not grab a huge hunk for sales taxes on gas then
It nearly paid for my half of the convertible my older brother (by then in college) bought together and had re-painted a subtle “Fire Engine Red”
I sent a personal message to Bill Haslem. Mayor of Knoxville and owner of Pilot Oil. No response. F’em
[Just a few pepper plants and tomato plants will easily produce enough for your family]
Um, yes.
I have lost my interest in gardening other than some flowers and hanging baskets.
Pinto beans grow great green beans. Put some in a large pot with a pole to grow on and YOU will have plenty.
Oil companies did not demand that ethanol be used as the oxygenating additive in fuels. Congress refused to renew the liability waiver for MTBE, which had been found to be causing problems, and whether through environmental consciousness or just the plain ol' bottom line, the oil companies use the only other Congressionally approved mandated oxygenating additive: ethanol. It was not just the ethanol blends, but the need to blend ethanol in which caused part of the first gasoline price spike, Katrina/Rita, and global demand were other contributing factors.
However, Federal subsidies have pushed the ethanol fuel thing waay past where it would have likely gone if the market had been allowed to decide, and gasoline without ethanol would likely be cheaper (despite oil prices) because it could be sent down pipelines ready to pump instead of having to be blended with ethanol trucked in or shipped by rail to be blended nearer the point of sale.
The bottom line would be cheaper fuel and cheaper food.
Make it a point to your Reps, I’m a Freeper but not necessarily a lawmaker. :^)
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I have...
I just wanted to point out that the usual culprits are behind this mess, and blaming the oil companies is part of their stock in trade.
Hopefully, others reading the thread will put the Congress' (and other legislators') feet to the fire as well.
You sound like a true hustler!
I hope nobody here underestimates the potential for serious food shortages. Crop losses are happening all over, including here in the US.
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I once built an elevated rabbit hutch with a galvanized hardware cloth (about 1/2” grid) bottom and sides for my kid’s big fat “Thumper” - 2x4s used as framing & legs to keep the area pack of dogs away until our pup “Tex” grew up and intimidated every single dog that messed with Tex or Thumper when he was smaller
We fed Thumper table scraps and trimmed veggies
Thumper appreciated the good fresh food and rewarded us by planting, fertilizing, and watering a few huge happy tomato plants under his cage!
I’m sure Enviro-NUTZIES like algore - with his $150,000+ a year electric power bill on his Tennesee mansion did the same for his kiddies!
Lol, your own little fertilizer machine!
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“Hustler” - Yup
I learned from my father, older brother, a Vo-Ag instructor
I also found be volunteering the use of my ‘50 red convertible (the pro-restitched-top down of course!) that others would reciprocate manyfold
My parents in New England during WWII cultivated, planted, harvested a huge Victory Garden - growing any and all vegetables they could - on a big vacant lot behind our house
My parents supplied the owner of the lot with all the “extra-fancy” produce he and his brothers and sisters and parents could use - and more
I wish I had the interest a skill with crops my father and my older brother had
My older brother would load up our red “Flyer” wagon and we’d walk to the homes near the seashore (Long Island Sound then) and knock on the front doors - pretty soon the housewives would be waiting - by the clock - every week to buy our fresh produce
When my father was in his late 60s in New Jersey - he planted his vegetables mixed in with ornamental plants and flowers in the backyard
The ornamentals were selected and planted next to vegetables to ward off insects
It worked
I recall freezes in South Florida when we had to go out to the farm all night and burn piles of junk tires and keep the cattle and horses moving - they were not acclimated as Northern stock is
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The poorest in the USA have 1-2 TVs, cable TV service, a dishwasher, a good fridge, stove, a microwave, air condtioning, and often TIVO and two (2) motor vehicles - all while pumping out more multi-daddied dependents for huge freevies from the US taxpayers
Yeah - things are tough all over in America
Those who have ever farmed or ranched - are the ones who really must work with the environment
Potentially we will all assume room or ground temperature
Those who chose to overdo their liquor or use drugs - have chosen to cut their lifespan dramatically
No tears from me!
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We did not plan it!
Thumper did it on his own!
Who was it that said “The world is just 3 meals away from anarchy”?
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