Five food issues to watch out for

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Who or what do you blame when the price of maize seems to keep going through the roof? If you did not mention fuel subsidies, then you need to read this list of emerging food issues in Africa.

Weather holds the balance: Global supplies of wheat and maize remain tight, increasing the food supply’s vulnerability to weather disasters, says Abdolreza Abbassian, secretary of the Intergovernmental Group on Grains at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

“The current low stocks for both wheat and maize are a reason for concern because even small shocks could cause panic and speculation in international markets and contribute to price volatility,” said Gary Eilerts, programme manager of the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET).

Source: IRIN (link opens in a new window)

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Agriculture