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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

RICE LOSING PLACE ON ASIAN PLATE ??

Once again my friends from far and near,I beckon you to be still and hear what I heard and read as reported by REUTERS on 19 May 2008 -

"BEIJING-Rice prices have surged this year for many reasons,but unlike most other commodities, fast growing Chinese and Indian demand isn`t one of them.
With incomes rising in 2 countries where a third of the world population consumes about half of the world`s rice, more people are eating-rich meat and diary, or sampling new food like pasta, leaving less room on the plate of rice.

If Chinese rice demand follows the trend seen in wealthy Japan, it could fall by half in the coming decades, bringing relief in world consumers who are more anxious than ever after a near trebling in benchmark Asian rice prices this year..."

It is true that more people are making more money and are eager to try out other choices but how is this cut in consumption going to affect the long term supply outlook for this Asia`s staple.

Everybody knows about the market economics-less demand, less supply.But given the current situation when industrial development is fast encroaching on arable land, rising costs that are straining the farmers and volatile weather that threaten crops, who can do the balancing act?

My concern is whether it is beneficial if rice loses its place on Asian plate? Is eating less rice or resorting to other forms of modern food the answer to our woes?




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1 comment:

Voices From Far said...

My dear readers from far and near,just in case if you fear that you need to eat less rice-CHEER UP! actually there is no shortage of rice in the market.
The panic and concern is the rising price of rice.And the rising price of rice actually makes the exporting countries to limit export in order to regulate the price at home.

Similarly in Malaysia, we are not really short of rice.But to regulate the market price, we need to pump in additional supply into the market .

And to pump additional supply in the market ,it requires additional stock.So that`s why countries are actually acquiring additional supply for their domestic market.

What more I heard from Radio Singapore International on 17.5.08 that says `MALAYSIA OFFERS PALM OIL FOR RICE` as a short term strategy to subsidise domestic supply of rice.What a logical move given that palm oil is a commodity that rice-exporting countries also need.

A Voice in Voices from far