| Food and Agriculture, news, food prices and more... | Page 1 Page 2 | Famine worsens in East Africa Video - CNN - 2:18
Droughts, armed conflicts and rising food prices leave 14 million people destitute in Africa's Horn. | Corn Jumps to Record as Floods in Midwest Threaten U.S. Crops
By Jae Hur June 16 (Bloomberg) -- Corn climbed to a record near $8 a bushel as floods damaged crops in the U.S., the largest producer and exporter, threatening global food supplies.
Soybeans rose to a three-month high. The flooding may be the worst in the Midwest since 1993 and will probably cause ``hundreds of millions of dollars'' of damage, according to the National Weather Service. U.S. corn stockpiles may fall 53 percent to a 13-year low before next year's harvest, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said June 10.
Record crude oil, wheat, rice and soybean prices this year have driven inflation, forcing governments to increase interest rates as the economy slows and raising costs at companies such as Kraft Foods Inc., the world's second-largest foodmaker. Food and fuel costs have eclipsed the credit squeeze as the greatest threat to the world economy, the Group of Eight nations said.
``Inflation pressures are building around the world,'' stoked by food and fuel prices, David Cohen, director of Asian economic forecasting at Action Economics in Singapore, said by phone today. That's ``squeezing household budgets, especially the poorest, and company profits.'' | The Food Chain
Worries Mount as Farmers Push for Big Harvest
By DAVID STREITFELD and KEITH BRADSHER - Published: June 10, 2008
As the world clamors for more corn, wheat, soybeans and rice, farmers are trying to meet the challenge. But evidence suggests harvests will be average at best. | UN summit: corn on table or in tank?
By ARIEL DAVID
(AP) - Corn on your table or in your tank? The merits of increasing biofuel production in the middle of a crisis over skyrocketing food prices was being hotly debated at a United Nations summit, but the top U.S. delegate said Wednesday that consensus on the issue was possible.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said on the second day of the three-day gathering of world leaders, U.N. food agencies, development banks and business representatives that progress was being made on determining the role of biofuels in food price hikes.
"It looks as though consensus on this important issue is in reach," Schafer said in a statement.
He told reporters that he thought some "acceptable" language, apparently a compromise, on biofuels would be in the final summit document on Thursday.
"Not the U.S., but many countries are unhappy with the declaration," he said at a briefing, without identifying which ones. "I don't know the specific language on biofuels. We talked about the impact biofuel has on food prices, we think it is a factor but certainly not the largest contributing factor." | AP - World Bank Leader Urges Action on Food
Monday April 14, 8:45 am ET
By Harry Dunphy, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The president of the World Bank urged immediate action to deal with mounting food prices that have caused hunger and deadly violence in several countries.
Robert Zoellick on Sunday said the international community has "to put our money where our mouth is" and act now to help hungry people. "It is as stark as that."
He called on governments to rapidly carry out commitments to provide the U.N. World Food Program with $500 million in emergency aid it needs by May 1.
He said the bank is granting an additional $10 million to Haiti for feeding programs, "and I understand others are looking to help."
"It is critical that governments confirm their commitments as soon as possible and others begin to commit," Zoellick said. Prices have only risen further since the WFP issued that appeal, so it is urgent that governments step up, he said. | Rice prices 'to keep on rising'
The price of rice has risen by 70% in the past year
Rice prices are set to keep rising as demand for the staple is outstripping production, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has said.
The Philippines-based body said in its Rice Today publication that more research was needed in how to increase rice productivity.
The price of rice has risen by as much as 70% during the past year, with increases accelerating in recent weeks.
Several rice-producing countries have put curbs on exports in recent weeks. | The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) (based in the Philippines) is the oldest and largest international agricultural research institute in Asia. It is an autonomous, nonprofit rice research and education organization with staff based in 14 countries in Asia and Africa.
Our mission is to reduce poverty and hunger, improve the health of rice farmers and consumers, and ensure that rice production is environmentally sustainable. We work closely with most rice-producing and -consuming countries and their national agricultural research and extension systems as well as farming communities and a range of international, regional, and local organizations. In partnerships with these national systems, we conduct research and provide training and education for those helping rice farmers by disseminating information and proven, sustainable technologies. | The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. FAO is also a source of knowledge and information. We help developing countries and countries in transition modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. Since our founding in 1945, we have focused special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people. | Poorest countries’ cereal bill continues to soar, governments try to limit impact
Forecast growth in 2008 cereal production could ease tight global supply
11 April 2008, Rome – The cereal import bill of the world’s poorest countries is forecast to rise by 56 percent in 2007/2008. This comes after a significant increase of 37 percent in 2006/2007, FAO said today.
For low-income food-deficit countries in Africa, the cereal bill is projected to increase by 74 percent, according to the UN agency’s latest Crop Prospects and Food Situation report. The increase is due to the sharp rise in international cereal prices, freight rates and oil prices.
International cereal prices have continued to rise sharply over the past two months, reflecting steady demand and depleted world reserves, the report said. Prices of rice increased the most following the imposition of new export restrictions by major exporting countries. By the end of March prices of wheat and rice were about double their levels of a year earlier, while those of maize were more than one-third higher, according to the report.
FAO has launched an Initiative on Soaring Food Prices (ISFP), offering technical and policy assistance to poor countries affected by high food prices in order to assist vulnerable farmers to increase local food production. Field activities are starting in Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Mozambique and Senegal. FAO will also help governments prepare actions and strategies to increase agricultural production. In collaboration with the World Food Programme, IFAD and other partners, FAO will enlarge its food market information system to pull together and analyze various data sources at local, national and international levels and to disseminate this information. FAO has allocated US$17 million for these activities.
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