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 ...
You make stuff up and people won't believe you when you tell the truth, if that matters to you at all.
Unintentionally funny.
Why don't you discuss the points in the article?
Not the cornmeal! Won't someone please think of the niños???
Which points? Do you mean price controls and expropriation? I'm still trying to get someone to explain to me how those are palatable to a "free trader" like Chavez.
"Yes, I sleep more soundly at night knowing we have a billion gallon strategic milk reserve."
Pssst. Buddy. I got your barn fulla milk right hea-ah. ;)
I love arepas. Do you have a recipe? :)
Starvation of the masses is just around the corner.
And who will help them? Jimmy Carter? Ramsey Clark? France? Germany? Spain?
Who will help the poor? China? Russia? Saudi Arabia?
Who will help the poor against this dictator? Mexico?
Columbia?
Who will help?
Whoever puts a bullet in Hugo's brainpan.
You are responding to post #64 which is an article about North American integration with Canada and Mexico.
How is ALBA palatable to a "free trader" like Chavez?
I'm still waiting for a response to my #49, which itself is related to another earlier comment, but thanks for pointing out the obvious.
In case you didn't know, ALBA is Chavez's own "free trade" agreement with South American countries. Its VERY clear that he has no problem with "free trade", just as communists all over the world who are being enriched by this corrupt system, have no problem with it.
I got it. According to you he has no problem with free trade as long as he is able to institute price controls and expropriate assets. LOL
Of course I never said anything of the sort, but you have a habit of making up stuff.
Klowns.
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