The Political Asylum

adrien · Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:04 pm Post subject: food crisis

Hunger. Strikes. Riots. The food crisis bites

JuanaLaLoca · Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:57 pm Post subject:

I don't know if this is happening elsewhere, but here in the U.S. we have been losing our honeybees for a few years now. With less bees to pollinate, less food is being produced. Just another factor.

adrien · Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 5:20 pm Post subject:

Yes, it's worrying, but "fortunately" that concerns only flowers / fruits. I don't know much about plant biology, but I think cereals are pollinised by the wind and not by insects - hence the allergy problems when all the pollen is released. So I don't think the problem with honeybees plays a direct role in this crisis, when even basic food like rice and wheat is lacking / getting too expensive...
_________________
Sit on the banks of the river and wait for the corpse of your enemy. - Indian proverb.

ukus · Joined: 07 Jan 2007 Posts: 72

I think it was in India that they showed squads of police going out to crackdown on the greedy Shopkeepers hoarding rice, so that they could sell for two or three times the price.
One women said that most of the money she and her husband earned was to buy a little Rice, if she could get it.

SilverMiniCooperS · Inmate of the Asylum Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Posts: 195

I heard, or read, somewhere that rice producing countries like India, Pakistan etc, were cutting production to drive up the price.

Ethanol production is playing a large part in rising food prices. Last year the Italians were up in arms and having a pasta strike. The price of wheat has shot up due in part to it's use in producing ethanol.

Pasta Strike in Italy