This text has been the most concise description of the causes of the food crisis of the text, there are quite a few not posted.
In the Mainland, the right-wing death often nothing to rely on "state intervention" as long as government does not intervene, the market will solve the problem, they only use the micro economics to look at all policies generalization; and the old Left basically Maoists fundamentalist, anti-democratic anti-liberal anti-universal values, with "Mao Thought" will be able to cover include their ideas; New Left is the social democrats, the vision is higher than the other two factions, will use the world vision to see the problem, so the understanding of the problem is often deeper than other factions, but which also penetrate much nationalism, so they tend to propose solutions from narrow national interests, but other than those purely ideological factions Solution / maintain american import good status quo.
Food. Food is the first human necessities is directly related to human survival and health. Of countries, food is the most important strategic materials. Maintain the three pillars of today's national survival and security, namely food, military, energy, and food in the first place, its importance over the military, energy. Therefore, the impact of the food crisis is beyond the food problem itself. The food crisis will lead to social unrest and political crisis. Food shortages, soaring food prices so the majority of sharp declines in living standards, but also to the poor suffer from hunger. This inevitably intensify social contradictions, a crisis eventualities. american import The food crisis has led to a number of countries appear unrest, riots and bloody clashes in the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, many countries, Haitian Prime Minister american import also therefore resign.
World food prices american import rose at an alarming rate. Rice prices, for example, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Egypt and other rice exporting countries in recent months has announced restrictions on rice exports to ensure domestic supply, american import leading american import to international rice prices american import continued to rise since March 2008, FOB price from early March rising to $ 467 per ton to 608 US dollars per ton at the end, especially the March 27 Thai rice export prices jumped 30 percent last month, the highest in 20 years, a new high. Compared with the same period in 2007, in March the international market, wheat, corn, soybean and rice prices american import rose by 137.5%, 36.4%, 79.2% and 66.6%.
In order to cope with emergency food shortages, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in 2008, 3 to 6 June summit convened the Global Food Conference. While the World Bank announced that it would grant immediate $ 1.2 billion to expand grain production in poor countries, the Asian Development Bank will provide $ 500 million emergency loan program, US President George W. Bush announced a $ 360 million emergency food aid to food shortages countries, but which in fact are a temporary surgery, far from solving american import the fundamental problem of food shortages.
Such a large-scale food prices on the world impact is self-evident. The United Nations World Food Program american import Executive Director Sheeran said food prices rose like a "silent tsunami", is sweeping across the world, forcing more than 100 million people "return" to the plight of starving. To the threat of global over 20 million poor children constitute particularly large. World Food Programme american import spokesman in London, Barrow noted that 80% of residents' income in underdeveloped areas for the purchase of food, they are in this "silent tsunami," the main victims. Organization for Economic american import Cooperation and Development (OECD) Secretary-General Gurria said: "This is an additional impact on the world economy, but the hardest hit and poor countries that they must bear the high prices."
The rise in food prices on the populous Asian countries, but also a big crisis. It pointed out that the Asian Development Bank meeting held in Madrid on the Asian Development Bank President Haruhiko Kuroda, the crisis of soaring food prices, could obliterate poverty reduction efforts and achievements of the Asia-Pacific region over the past few decades. To this end, he called on countries to take measures immediately or Asia will likely have more than one billion people showed malnutrition. In addition, rising global food prices will also adversely affect the economic growth of some Asian countries. ADB estimates that if the food (especially cereals) prices continued to rise, 10 major economies in the Asian region, including China, India and South Korea, american import in 2008 gross domestic product (GDP) growth will be reduced by 3.4 percentage points; the first second case is that increased inflation, economic growth will be reduced by an average 4.2 percentage points by the impact of soaring food prices.
Out of consideration to ensure national american import food security, many countries from the start of the article in import and export. On the one hand, import and export tax has become a universal means of adjustment. Such as Russia in 2007 on wheat exports imposed export tariffs on the basis of 10% on the 2008 tax rate will increase again to 40%. In order to find as much food and stock up before the European Union decided in June 2008 to suspend import duties on food. Similarly, Saudi Arabia announced that it would import duty from 25 percent of food is reduced to zero. On the other hand, it has become common practice to limit grain exports. The Vietnamese government announced that in 2008 rice exports will decrease quarter decreased from 4.5 million tons to 3.5 million tons. Indian Government ban rice exports to all other classes except the most expensive level; Coincidentally, the Egyptian government announced that starting from April 1, to implement a six-month ban on rice exports. Cambodia american import announced that in addition to government departments, the private sector a ban on all exports of rice.
Some traditional food is becoming a net exporter of food-importing countries. In one of the world's largest granary pampas, people have been convinced, fertile land and plenty of food - bread, corn, soybeans, beef, are a gift from God Argentine, since ancient times, they rarely diet issue sent a worry. This belief is being real impact. January 18, 2008, the Argentine government announced that in order to ensure domestic supply, consider raising export tariffs on soybeans, corn, wheat again. November 2007, Argentina has been a substantial increase in grain export tariffs and quantitative restrictions american import on beef exports. But two months american import later found that the domestic supply is still tight, the policy must be adjusted again.
The direct cause of this food crisis is undoubtedly the food prices continue to soar. The World Bank report shows that in the past three years, global food prices overall rose 83%, wheat prices rose 181 percent. Only in March 2008 and in April two months, the international rice price jumped by 75%. Faced with a picture of the face of hunger, the UN World Food Program officials in the Department of lamenting soaring food prices faces the greatest challenge in 45 years. This "silent tsunami" makes 100 million american import people worldwide into hunger. american import
UN Food and Agriculture (FAO) has warned of the increase american import in cereal prices in poor countries can not afford to make the first half of 2008, 36 countries worldwide are facing food crises, mainly in Africa, South and Central America. The agency, for example, said that since the beginning of 2007, wheat prices in Afghanistan have risen 67 percent, buy bread and food expenses already accounted for 45% of an average Afghan family daily expenses. The United Nations World Food Program Agency (WFP) staff in Sudan, it said Jonah hereby substantial increase in funds for food aid, the agency may be forced to consider reducing the number of aid or the amount of assistance. In some developing countries, due to higher food prices, many families reduced to three meals a day a meal, there are some families daily intake of only one meal staple.
It has predicted that the current american import round of food crisis will continue into 2010. According to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific recently released report, the Asia-Pacific region countries face sharp rise in food prices will be the biggest challenge of the next few years. Food prices one of the most direct consequence american import of forcing ordinary people to tighten their belts. India now many families began to change two meals three meals a day. UN humanitarian food aid program is facing a shortfall of $ 500 million, we had to consider the narrow scale of assistance, which means that more people will suffer hunger. The inflation and social instability caused by rising food prices, many countries and regions, but also to the world economy and politics brought new uncertainties.
In food production because of drought-reduced at the same time, we demand the emergence of new growth american import points. Due to the rapid growth of national income american import in developing countries, more and more poor people not only solve the food problem, but also continue to improve the diet. This exacerbates the original, american import there's a shortage, while pushing up the price of other foods. Due to the impact of global urbanization, coupled american import with rich people will always consume more protein and calories, "Food globalization" phenomenon is being staged, american import people are no longer satisfied with rice and soy-based food, fell in love with the pizza, hamburgers and pork chops. Over the past 25 years, world meat consumption doubled and continues to grow. Meat production also requires a lot of feed. Farmers need to feed 3 kg of grain to get one kilogram american import of pork, the beef, the proportion is as high as 7: 1. Global biscuits, bread, pasta demand rose also makes food supply in tensions.
The total amount of water on Earth is 1.38 billion cubic meters, of which more than 96.53% of ocean salt water, the total amount of the Earth's fresh water is 035 million american import cubic meters, accounting for only about 2.53% of total global water, where three-quarters in the south, Arctic ice caps and glaciers. Thus, a human-use about 20% of all freshwater freshwater. Can direct american import access to the river, freshwater lake only 0.5% of all fresh water, can be seen for direct human use and readily available fresh water resources american import are very limited.
July 2008, the US dollar against american import major world currencies index fell 17.13 percent american import year on year, while corn prices rose 55.7 percent, rice prices soared by 120.9%. In the international market, american import mostly in food prices in US dollars note, therefore, the dollar's decline, will lead to rising food prices worldwide. US dollar seems to have realized the negative impact on international prices, so US officials repeatedly on various occasions stressed the same point of view. US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said: "I have not changed the view for the dollar, the dollar is still strong in the interests american import of our country, but I have to admit that our economy is going through a difficult period."
Assistant director CASS Institute of World Politics and Economy He Fan told reporters: "For example, if the Fed said its inflation pressure, then it will raise interest rates; if the Fed raises interest rates, and the dollar rebounded, No matter what price it will make the product are likely to decline. When it fell, the crisis will bring. "Statistics show that every dollar fell by one percentage point would increase prices for the period corresponding to one percentage point, while our wallets are light weight shock when the dollar. It can be said, in a sense, like Uncle Sam's dollar big mouth, is unceremoniously devour the world food.
From national monetary policies and international financial markets, first of all, the dollar continued to weaken exacerbated food prices. Federal Reserve monetary policy to deal with the subprime crisis objective inflate financial market bubble, american import grain products become the first choice of investors to avoid the risk of inflation. Secondly, in the context of excess liquidity, asset investment and speculation on food investment formed a "crowding out" food investment was "crowding out" is bound to affect the supply level. Again, some economies american import loose monetary policy to stimulate the economy expanded the number american import of practices leading to the currency, credit and investment soared, the city converted arable american import land mass, a significant reduction in grain acreage.
World Institute for Development Ding Yifan, a researcher there is a different view: "the leading american import reason is money." He replied frankly, "subprime crisis makes a lot of money to lose this important real estate into the market and lead to economic growth american import in the United States put slow in order to prevent further deterioration and thus affect global economic growth, governments inject money into the market. However, due to the real estate market outlook is still not optimistic, with the stock market as represented by the capital market is also continuing insecurity, so a large injection of 'desperate' only defected commodity market american import as 'an important member of the' commodity markets, the price of food is raised also be ruled out. "
"Supply and demand tension is an indisputable fact, but this tension does not support such a high price." Ding Yifan put forward their views, "in american import fact, much of the information has been described, the tension between food supply and demand of the international market, and Unlike imagine as serious, however, motivated by profit, so this is not serious tensions attracted a lot of hot money, driving american import up prices, thereby amplifying the 'tension american import effect', american import resulting in the international grain market supply and demand is very tight illusion. In turn, this false image and attract more capital inflows, further driving up the price. american import So again, a vicious cycle, but also to food prices to the point now. "
There are 3.3 million people in Haiti have enough to eat. Agricultural population accounts for 80% of the employed population. Haiti deficit of about 450,000 tons per year, international aid 8 to 9 million tons. From the basic self-sufficient, to rely on rice imports, of which there why? Zhou Li said:. "Because farmers believe that to grow food is not worth the kind of rice worth, so they have to leave their land, to the city to make a living and when the rice trade has been sustained, to the example of Haiti now 3/4 rice from the United States, when after food prices, the poor of these countries can not afford rice, so the Haitian social unrest will occur. "
May 2006 Haitian President Rene Preval took office when he said: To establish agricultural system in Haiti to improve Haiti's agricultural production. But for now, he wishes come true. Zhou said: "When the United States is willing american import to use subsidized through low prices of food, to aid the poor in Asia, Africa, when a small country, these countries is accepted and welcome the assistance the United States, but such assistance will own food production bring a huge impact, because they can not sell the grain. In this case, it creates an alternative to the US food production system of production systems in developing countries. When this alternative a few years after the occurrence of these small-scale farmers have not reproduced food, because food production can not bring them profit, they will shift to the United States needed to crops, such as bananas, spices, and coffee beans. "
? Director of the Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Program UNDP Kevin Hawkins said: "Behind the free market american import rhetoric and emphasized the advantages of playing field, the hard fact is that some of the world's poorest farmers are forced to enter and Industry american import Competition Ministry of Finance instead of the farmer in northern countries, "Academy of Social Sciences, assistant director of the Institute of World Politics and Economy He Fan told reporters:" From the Uruguay Round, the Doha Round, in recent years we have seen from all of the negotiations, the focus of one of the most sensitive topic is that prices of agricultural negotiations. So agricultural price negotiations for what became the developed and developing countries american import contradiction? Because the developed countries on agricultural subsidies, and it is very large subsidies, EU A cow subsidy obtained a poor year, even higher than the cost of living in developing countries. But when it gets subsidized, its price may be lower than the development of China
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