Blog Action Day, Sunday 16 October
Food Prices 2011
The Food Price Watch says global food prices in July 2011 remain significantly higher than a year ago. Prices overall remained 33 percent higher than a year ago with commodities such as maize (up 84 percent), sugar (up 62 percent), wheat (up 55 percent) and soybean oil (up 47 percent) contributing to the increase. Crude oil prices are 45 percent higher from July 2010 levels, affecting production costs and the price of fertilizers, which increased by 67 percent over the same period. Prices from April through July settled roughly five percent below the recent spike in February 2011 due to modest declines in grains, fats and oil, and other foods such as meat, fruits, and sugar. However, prices of some commodities remained volatile during this period. For example, maize and wheat prices declined in June and then increased in the first half of July. The price of rice fell from February to May, but has since increased.
The Food Price Watch says global food prices in July 2011 remain significantly higher than a year ago. Prices overall remained 33 percent higher than a year ago with commodities such as maize (up 84 percent), sugar (up 62 percent), wheat (up 55 percent) and soybean oil (up 47 percent) contributing to the increase. Crude oil prices are 45 percent higher from July 2010 levels, affecting production costs and the price of fertilizers, which increased by 67 percent over the same period. Prices from April through July settled roughly five percent below the recent spike in February 2011 due to modest declines in grains, fats and oil, and other foods such as meat, fruits, and sugar. However, prices of some commodities remained volatile during this period. For example, maize and wheat prices declined in June and then increased in the first half of July. The price of rice fell from February to May, but has since increased.
Persistently high food prices and low food stocks indicate that we’re still in the danger zone, with the most vulnerable people the least able to cope.
These prices not only affect people in poorer countries, but also poorer people in our more affluent countries; particularly during these hard economic times.
Current demonstrations all over the world against extreme wealth of the few, I feel are justified. Extreme wealth should be controlled by higher taxes that cannot be avoided by the wealthy, and profiteering penalised. It would be hoped that this would help to reduce food prices and other essential items so that poorer people the world over can afford them.
4 comments:
Well said. It's a crying shame that the poor get poorer while the rich get richer...
Fi, thanks for commenting. I agree with you - Dave
I hear what you are saying Dave, I think that we would have less problems, if we think of everyone as our family and share or help someone get on their feet so they can help them self, someone might be hungry and they may live right next door to you and you don't know you could help them. Where I live people act as if they don't see each other, I notices that a lot of people near me live alone and that's sad. My Aunt do, and I spent a lot of time over her here house, showing her that I care, know one else visit her much. Well sorry for the long talk. It's alway good to here from you Dave.
Hi Cynthia. Yes, I agree with you too. We should care for each other more - Dave
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