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Fears grow over global food supply
Financial Times ^ | September 2, 2010 | Javier Blass

Posted on 09/02/2010 5:03:31 PM PDT by La Lydia

Russia announced a 12-month extension of its grain export ban on Thursday, raising fears about a return to the food shortages and riots of 2007-08 which spread through developing countries dependent on imports. The announcement by Vladimir Putin came as the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation called an emergency meeting to discuss the wheat shortage, and riots in Mozambique left seven dead.

The unrest in Maputo, in which 280 people were also injured, followed the government’s decision to raise bread prices by 30 per cent. Police opened fire on demonstrators after thousands turned out to protest against the price hikes, burning tyres and looting food warehouses.

Although agricultural officials and traders insist that wheat and other crop supplies are more abundant than in 2007-08, officials fear the deadly Mozambique riots could be replicated....

“This is quite serious,” said Abdolreza Abbassian, of the FAO in Rome. “Two years in a row without Russian exports creates quite a disturbance.” Dan Manternach, chief wheat economist at Doane Agricultural Services in St Louis, added: “This is a wake-up call for importing nations about the reliability of Russia.”

Jakkie Cilliers, director of South Africa’s Institute of Security Studies, said there was concern over a repeat of the protests of 2008: “That certainly strengthened a return of the military in politics in Africa.”

European wheat prices on Thursday hit €231.5 a tonne, just shy of last month’s two-year high of €236. Wheat prices have surged nearly 70 per cent since January, and analysts forecast further rises after Russia’s decision and concerns about weather damage to Australia’s crop...

(Excerpt) Read more at ft.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: africa; agriculture; australia; maputo; mozambique; russia; southafrica
Another dysfunctional African country we will have to bail out and feed, and get spit on for our efforts.
1 posted on 09/02/2010 5:03:32 PM PDT by La Lydia
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To: La Lydia

ping


2 posted on 09/02/2010 5:04:36 PM PDT by unkus
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To: La Lydia

The ChiComs want to colonize Africa. Let Red China feed them.


3 posted on 09/02/2010 5:05:46 PM PDT by BenLurkin (This post is not a statement of fact. It is merely a personal opinion -- or humor -- or both.)
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To: La Lydia

Yea but chestnut just ate 8 pounds of ribs so there!!!


4 posted on 09/02/2010 5:11:27 PM PDT by VaRepublican (I would propagate taglines but I don't know how. But bloggers do.)
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To: La Lydia
More:

Food And Drink Prices To Soar

How Hyperinflation Will Happen

5 posted on 09/02/2010 5:15:30 PM PDT by blam
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To: La Lydia

It has to be true because market oracle, pravda,business insider,financial times,ect told me so.


6 posted on 09/02/2010 5:17:57 PM PDT by rsobin
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To: rsobin

The U.S. is projected to have a pretty good supply of Wheat this year.

Will Obozo trade it for oil ??? or give it away to starving enemies?


7 posted on 09/02/2010 5:27:04 PM PDT by Einherjar
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To: rsobin
"It has to be true because market oracle, pravda,business insider,financial times,ect told me so."

Ah, another censor.

Will you provide your list of approved posting sites?

8 posted on 09/02/2010 5:29:40 PM PDT by blam
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To: La Lydia
Another dysfunctional African country we will have to bail out and feed, and get spit on for our efforts.

We have little grain to sell or give away, we are using it to make fuel.

9 posted on 09/02/2010 9:28:03 PM PDT by Mike Darancette (Socialism is the philosophy of failure, - W Churchill)
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To: La Lydia

Glenn Beck’s “seed bank” and food insurance sponsors don’t seem quite so wacky now.


10 posted on 09/02/2010 9:48:54 PM PDT by montag813 (http://www.facebook.com/StandWithArizona)
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To: La Lydia

The farmers are easily able to produce enough food for everybody. It’s the politicians of this world that create shortages.


11 posted on 09/03/2010 5:12:36 AM PDT by RoadTest (Religion is a substitute for the relationship God wants with you.)
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To: La Lydia
Anybody who grew up in the 50's and 60's remembers a time when reports of famine from India, China, other parts of Asia and Africa were common. An end to world hunger is a relatively recent development.

Famine will come again to those nations that cannot feed themselves and rely on imports of food.

12 posted on 09/03/2010 5:59:27 AM PDT by Former Proud Canadian (How do I change my screen name now that we have the most conservative government in the world?)
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To: Former Proud Canadian

They may be starving to death, but they will not be eating genetically modified grain.


13 posted on 09/03/2010 6:03:49 AM PDT by La Lydia
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To: AdmSmith; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; bigheadfred; blueyon; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; ...
The unrest in Maputo, in which 280 people were also injured, followed the government's decision to raise bread prices by 30 per cent. Police opened fire on demonstrators after thousands turned out to protest against the price hikes, burning tyres and looting food warehouses. Although agricultural officials and traders insist that wheat and other crop supplies are more abundant than in 2007-08... Jakkie Cilliers, director of South Africa's Institute of Security Studies, said there was concern over a repeat of the protests of 2008: "That certainly strengthened a return of the military in politics in Africa." European wheat prices on Thursday hit €231.5 a tonne, just shy of last month's two-year high of €236. Wheat prices have surged nearly 70 per cent since January, and analysts forecast further rises after Russia's decision and concerns about weather damage to Australia's crop...
Thanks La Lydia. I underlined the buried lead.
14 posted on 09/04/2010 7:09:49 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Democratic Underground... matters are worse, as their latest fund drive has come up short...)
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To: La Lydia
Food riots kill seven in Mozambique
15 posted on 09/04/2010 7:24:38 AM PDT by blam
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