China Rejects Philippine Bid To Buy Wheat: Manila Calls For Asian Food Summit - AFP

[hatrack]

The Philippines has urged Asian governments to hold talks on the sharply escalating cost of food, officials said Friday as China rebuffed a bid by Manila to buy wheat. Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap wants a ministerial-level meeting of Asian governments to discuss means to raise food production and provide interim food aid, the International Rice Research Institute said.

"We must address the plight of food-poor families in the countries most affected by the rice price crisis," an IRRI statement quoted Yap as telling an IRRI board of trustees meeting this week.

The board of the world's premier rice research institute met at its headquarters south of Manila to discuss ways of easing rising rice prices that have swept the region and caused unrest in some countries. The institute warned that rice prices were likely to keep rising for some time as production fails to keep up with soaring demand.

Manila, one of the world's biggest rice importers, has been struggling to procure enough rice for its 90 million people. Philippine rice farms are mainly small plots and cannot meet domestic food needs. Producers warned Friday that bread, noodles and processed meat prices are likely to follow rice prices in coming weeks as Trade Secretary Peter Favila said China had turned down a Philippine request to buy wheat.

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Philippines_calls_for_Asia_food_meet_as_China_rebuffs_bid_to_buy_wheat_999.html

[ensho]

1. this is BIG - food matters - don't under estimate climate change's power

to ruin crops. farmers have always been at the mercy of the weather. weather violence will continue to grow stronger, hence more crops ruin, more people starving, more govts. in disarray.

[hughee99]

3. I didn't see anything in the article about supply being down...

just that demand is up. As I understand it, China (as well as several other countries) will produce more rice than it ever has this year. Did I miss something?

[AndyTiedye]

2. With Dollar So Low, They Should Be Able to Buy American Wheat

of course, that will make prices go up here…

[smiley_glad_hands]

4. Isn't the US still the largest food producer?

I know the cost of food is going up here, but i thought it was due to gas prices skyrocketing. Are there other factors at play. Are food commodities being manipulated?

Not to put you on the spot. Any comments are appreciated.