Posted on 01/17/2006 3:25:10 PM PST by grundle
Venezuelan authorities are prepared to seize inventories of corn meal if producers protesting price controls hoard their supplies, an official said Tuesday.
The South American country has seen coffee disappear from the shelves in recent weeks as producers refused to sell over price controls that they said eliminated profits. Officials said a 60-percent increase in coffee prices announced Monday would make coffee plentiful again.
But some corn producers also have told Venezuelan media they are dissatisfied with current price controls.
"I don't think it's necessary to go straight to expropriation, but it's an option," Food Minister Rafael Oropeza told reporters during a tour of state-operated grain silos in the southwestern state of Barinas.
He said the government is prepared "to defend the right of access to food."
Corn meal is key to Venezuelans' daily diet of "arepas," corn cakes served steaming with chicken, meat or cheese inside. It is one of many basic food products under price controls in Venezuela, where President Hugo Chavez says he is leading a socialist revolution for the poor.
Scattered sellouts of powdered milk, corn meal and sugar have been reported recently, but officials denied there were shortages at a national level and said they would make sure state-run markets are fully stocked.
The consumer protection agency, Indecu, has seized more than 150 metric tons (165 tons) of powdered milk this month from companies hoarding the products, according to its Web site.
Authorities also have seized inventories of coffee allegedly being hoarded by producers and resold at the official price.
The higher price for coffee should help ease the shortage, Light Industries and Commerce Minister Edmee Betancourt told the state-run news agency.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessweek.com ...
There is NO world sugar price that is free market. In your globalist rhetoric, you ignore this point.
Governments of all sugar-producing countries intervene in their production, consumption and/or trade of sugar, which makes sugar one of the most heavily subsidized and distorted markets in the world.
--U.S. Department of Agriculture
So you'd rather pay the manipulated US price of 29.54 cents a pound than the manipulated world price of 13.19 cents a pound? Is that some sort of female logic?
Well phony "free traders" say paying manipulated world price(s) is better. This statement shows how phony "free trade" is, where our country must give up industries, have no tariffs, no price supports, while its ok for other countries to have them. This is utter deceit on your part, and its partly why your philosophy is so bankrupt.
But the difference between the manipulated world price and manipulated U.S. price acts as "multiplier," creating employment and encouraging capital formation. I read it somewhere on FR.
DRCAFTA Yes, Sugar No: "In 2003, sugar farmers and processors earned an estimated $5.7 billion in sales but employed only about 52,000 workers."
And for every single one of those workers we have 576 Americans (297,000,000 ÷ 52,000) who have to pay too much for sugar to support these people.. Hedge, if you happen to be or personally know one of those underachieving 52,000 workers, please let me say on behalf of my fellow 576 that it's time for him or her to get a real job like the rest of us.
Don't be so sure. Your typical, Becks-drinking, Porsche-driving, red-blooded free-tradin' American male is likely to have a Walther in the glovebox, and a H&K in the den.
So, in 2003 we overpaid by $2.7 billion or $51,923 per sugar worker. Sounds like some more of hedgetrimmer's female logic.
Yecchhhhh. Mine too!
My experience with folks that are into blow (and disco music, for that matter) is that they are on the road to nowhere, man.
Todd and I want to spend $10 billion on military construction but we haven't been able to because Big Sugar wants $2.5 billion doled out to them. That's why the total annual budget for military construction is restricted to just $7 billion.
Our loyalties are to America. Import tax raisers only care about themselves. Hedge, we can talk about loyalty to America if you want, and while we're at it we should also compare our overseas combat records. What war zones have you served in?
Take your time.
297,000,00 / 52,000 = 5,711
I say we split the difference and meet each other half way. I agree to change 576 to 5711, and you agree to change 297,000,00 to 297,000,000.
Any way we do it, I'll always be amazed at how this means that for every one of our poor starving sugar farmers, there'll be 5,711 of us who'll pass the hat and help them make it through with an extra $51,923 in their Christmas stocking. Only in America!
Who are you?
Stupid is as stupid does.
Sheesh-- you sure know how to stop someone in his tracks with a tough question!
I had to ask my wife on that one. OK, I can say I'm the CEO of a multimillion dollar international corporation, or I can say I'm the unemployed father of six trying to feed his family on 15 acres in the jungle. Both statements are true, factual, and totally useless ---kind of like the FAQ's at Microsoft.
Aw hell, this is my own fault-- I should never have allowed you to con me away from a discussion of ideas and suck me into a contest of personalities with this silly "loyalty" schtick in the first place. Don't get me wrong-- there's nothing wrong with ad hominem personality contests. I have to admit that without your participation, this thread would never have have made past say, a dozen posts. The big reason why I avoid personality wars is that I know when I'm out of my league --I simply don't have that much of a personality. At least not one that could keep a thread like this active for this long.
To be honest-- I'd give half this years citrus harvest if I could have your touch. Cheers!
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