The global food market is in "dire waters", and the US and the West have already planted the root cause
Concerns about a global food crisis have grown recently, with the United Nations also warning that the world could face the worst food shortage since World War II.
In order to stabilize the domestic market, some countries have introduced grain export bans, Indonesia announced the suspension of export of palm oil products, and India imposed a temporary ban on wheat exports...
The West launched a public opinion offensive against Russia, frequently accusing Russia of special military operations in Ukraine for causing a global food crisis.
Analysts believe that the root causes of the soaring international food prices are related to the inappropriate policies and practices of the United States and the West, and the West is to blame.
Under the superposition of various factors such as the new crown epidemic, extreme weather, Russia-Ukraine conflict, and Western sanctions, the global food market is "in dire straits".
From June 1st
India begins to restrict sugar exports
Malaysia bans chicken exports
The Indian government announced on June 1 that in order to ensure domestic sugar supply and price stability, it will impose restrictions on the total export of domestic sugar (including raw sugar, refined sugar and white sugar) from now on. September 2019) total exports will be limited to 10 million tonnes.
India's consumer price index rose to 7.79% in April, the highest level since 2014, as international commodity prices rose.
Driven by rising prices of diesel and fertilizers, domestic sugar prices in India are on the rise.
India is the world's leading sugar producer and exporter.
The Indian Sugar Mills Association predicts that India's sugar production will reach 35 million tons this season, and domestic consumption will be about 27 million tons. Together with the inventory of the previous season, there will be a surplus of 16 million tons.
Some analysts say that India's implementation of total sugar export restrictions is largely a precautionary measure taken in response to rising international sugar prices.
In order to ensure the supply of the domestic market, the Malaysian government banned the export of chicken from the 1st, a move that caught neighboring Singapore by surprise.
Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri announced last week that the export ban will be enforced from June 1 until domestic prices and production stabilize.
Previously, Malaysia exported an average of 3.6 million whole chickens per month.
The ban affects Singaporeans who love Hainanese chicken rice the most.
According to the Associated Press, about one-third of Singapore's poultry imports come from Malaysia, and most of it imports live chickens, which are then slaughtered and chilled domestically.
Singaporeans rushed to buy fresh chicken before the ban took effect.
Some fresh markets and supermarkets have sold out of poultry products.
seek self-preservation
Many countries tighten food exports
Sri Lanka allows farmers to use fertilizers to boost production
According to statistics, since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, more than 20 countries around the world have introduced restrictions on grain exports, and countries have also actively sought alternative resources in order to "protect themselves".
Some underdeveloped countries that rely heavily on grain imports from Russia and Ukraine, mainly countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, are not only forced to bear high food prices, but even face the risk of "running out of food".
Egypt is one of the world's largest wheat importers, and about 80% of its wheat imports come from Russia and Ukraine.
The local price of a 40-kilogram bag of flour has risen from 430 Egyptian pounds (about $23) in February this year to 560 Egyptian pounds (about $30) in April.
80% of Lebanon's wheat is imported from Ukraine. At present, due to the cessation of the supply of Ukrainian wheat, there is a shortage of food in Lebanon, and there is an urgent need to purchase food to replenish stocks.
Some international aid and charitable organizations said that due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, drought, floods and other factors, West Africa is facing the worst food crisis in a decade. More than 27 million people are currently facing famine, and this number may increase by June. 11 million.
The World Food Programme has also warned that 2022 will be a catastrophic year of hunger, with some 44 million people teetering on the brink of famine in 38 countries.
Sri Lankan Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaravira announced on May 31 that due to the reduction in rice and vegetable production, the government has told farmers to resume the use of chemical fertilizers if necessary, and increase crop production as much as possible to ensure food security.
Sri Lanka had hoped to be the first country in the world to rely entirely on organic farming.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa launched an initiative to develop organic agriculture and banned the import of fertilizers last May.
However, many farmers began to abandon their farmland due to insufficient fertilizer, and the government had to reverse the policy.
Rajapaksa instructed officials earlier this week to allow farmers to choose between chemical and organic fertilizers, and to provide fertilizers at subsidized prices.
Diplomatic consultation
Russian foreign minister to visit Turkey next week
Discussing the export channel of Ukrainian grain
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on May 31 that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is scheduled to visit Turkey on June 8, when the two sides will discuss the opening of safe sea routes for Ukraine's grain exports .
Cavusoglu's announcement comes a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Russia was ready to cooperate with Turkey to facilitate the smooth flow of goods by sea , "This also applies to grains exported from Ukrainian ports".
Western countries have accused Russia of blocking Ukrainian ports, which Russia has denied.
Russia accused Ukraine of laying mines in the waters near Odessa, preventing the safe passage of cargo ships.
Odessa is the largest deep-water port in Ukraine. In the past, most of Ukraine's export grains were exported through this port.
Ukraine has been worried about Russian control of the port.
Lavrov said on May 31 that if the Ukrainian side agrees to clear the mines, the Russian navy will ensure that the Ukrainian grain carrier enters the Mediterranean Sea smoothly and arrives at the destination.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Kirill Petkov said on May 31 that the European Union will consider diverting Ukrainian grain exports through the Bulgarian port of Varna and Romania's Constantine Check port export.
The ports of Varna and Constanta, which are the closest to Odessa, are "more expensive than other options, but a more certain option," Petkov said.
Food prices soar
The US and the West are to blame
In the past two years, against the background of the spread of the new crown epidemic, the world economic recession, extreme weather and frequent natural disasters, the global food market has continued to fluctuate, and international food prices will reach a new high in the past ten years by the end of 2021.
The soaring international food prices are directly related to the mistakes and irresponsible practices of the United States and the West in terms of macroeconomics and energy policies.
First, the United States implemented a large-scale quantitative easing policy after the outbreak.
The Federal Reserve launched the "super water release" mode, offering zero interest rates and unlimited quantitative easing, leading to soaring global inflation and rising commodity prices such as grain.
Second, since last year, with the acceleration of global vaccination and the increase in social and economic activities, energy demand has recovered rapidly. However, due to the lack of investment in traditional energy in Western countries due to their commitment to energy transformation, the contradiction between energy supply and demand has continued to intensify around the world. Natural gas, etc. Traditional energy prices have skyrocketed in turn.
Rising energy prices have led to rising agricultural production and the cost of energy-based fertilizers and other agricultural inputs, threatening global food production and pushing up global food prices.
Third, in recent years, the United States and Western countries have produced a large number of biofuels by "burning grain" with relatively sufficient grain reserves.
In the context of the already tight global food supply chain, this move has raised global food prices and increased the import cost of food importing countries.
Fourth, after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the impact of the West’s bottomless unilateral sanctions against Russia spread to the global agricultural production and trade network, further exacerbating the problems of poor logistics and protectionism in agricultural production and trade, leading to some developing countries. The country faces the risk of "running out of food".
Analysts pointed out that "throwing the blame" on Russia is just a common tactic used by the United States and Western countries to cover up its policy mistakes and its mercenary nature.
Before the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, a series of policies introduced by the United States and the West had already laid the foundation for the global food crisis.
Russia and Ukraine are an important "granary" in the world, and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has made the global grain market even worse.
Ukraine faces the dual dilemma of reduced food production and blocked exports.
On the one hand, the war has spread to the rural areas of Ukraine, the agricultural population and the area of arable land have decreased, and food production is expected to decrease significantly.
On the other hand, Ukrainian maritime transport has been hampered due to the ongoing conflict near the Black Sea.
Compared with Ukraine, Russian grain production and exports are less directly affected.
However, Western countries have imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Russia, causing Russian businesses to face difficulties in obtaining foreign exchange income and shipping logistics, and Russia's agricultural exports are facing certain difficulties.
Comprehensive Xinhua News Agency, CCTV News