quatrotritikali

By JOSH GERSTEIN
Staff Reporter of the Sun
April 21, 2008


MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Many parts of America, long considered the breadbasket of the world, are now confronting a once unthinkable phenomenon: food rationing. Major retailers in New York, in areas of New England, and on the West Coast are limiting purchases of flour, rice, and cooking oil as demand outstrips supply. There are also anecdotal reports that some consumers are hoarding grain stocks.

At a Costco Warehouse in Mountain View, Calif., yesterday, shoppers grew frustrated and occasionally uttered expletives as they searched in vain for the large sacks of rice they usually buy.

Food Rationing Confronts Breadbasket of the World - April 21, 2008 - The New York Sun
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Hunger. Strikes. Riots. The food crisis bites
Robin McKie and Heather Stewart
The Observer, Sunday April 13 2008


Across the world a crisis is unfolding at alarming speed. Climate change, China's increasing consumption and the dash for biofuels are causing food shortages and rocketing prices - sparking riots in cities from the Caribbean to the Far East.

In less than a year, the price of wheat has risen 130 per cent, soya by 87 per cent and rice by 74 per cent. According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, there are only eight to 12 weeks of cereal stocks in the world, while grain supplies are at their lowest since the 1980s.

Focus: Hunger. Strikes. Riots. The food crisis bites | Environment | The Observer
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What the crap? Food supplies being withheld from American consumers? Talk of rationing certain food supplies? Is this America? Could we be well into a national recession, heading towards another Great Depression...complete with bread lines?

America may be at a tipping point, as well as the rest of the world. In several countries, food scarcity has sparked civil unrest and riots. Some countries (like Vietnam, Japan, etc.) are limiting or halting exports of certain food products like rice...basic staples for much of the world).

The UK Guardian points the finger at the United States for helping cause the current global food crisis, with Dubya enacting legislation for corn and such to be culled for biofuel instead of food. How long will it be before the United States must stop or strictly limit exports of food grains to the rest of the world? Must we be obligated to feed the rest of the world, and if so, at what expense? When do we cross the line, where the American people must do without to help support the hungry masses around the world? And is it really fair to blame the U.S.?

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PeteEU

The Gaurdian is right, and wrong. There are so many factors involved in the present so called crisis. They range from political, socialy over to enviromental.

Now your question is the US to blame? Yes in part it is, more specifically in areas where produce can be used to make ethanol. Greed has made it so, that its more profitable for US farmers to sell for ethanol than for food. This means the US has to either export less or even worse, import grain. This in turn will push (as it has) the price up around the world. On top of that, there are droughts key corn areas of the world, which dont help production.

As for rice. The production of rice has fallen, no wrong word.. stalled, or fallen relatively against the number of mouths it feeds. This is due to several factors, but the biggest is drought and bad weather in key production areas of the world.

As for the food riots. Thats more political and media created than it is reality. Look at the nations in question, nations with very fragile goverments (Haiti for example) to say the least. It looks "worse" if you say food riots due to rising prices instead of food riots because the local goverments are corrupt.

As for the US being the "worlds breadbasket".. thats debatable.

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PeteEU