NEWS: Chinese Main Food Chain, Rice, Under Threat.

The Chinese main diet, Rice, is under threat according to agriculture ministry officials of the country, as one quarter of the nation's farmlands, 24%, are being hit hard by pests and diseases this year. Officials from the agriculture ministry see the situation so serious, that they have called a meeting to take extraordinary measures to fight the diseases and pests that are attacking the nation's farmlands.



Although I have no great love for the Chinese government, I hope that measures are taken so that the Chinese population are not affected greatly by the diseases and pests that are plaguing the region's food supply.

[edit on 22-8-2005 by Muaddib]

That is terrible... great find though.....

I don't like the Chinese administration perhaps but the people and children need the food. I really feel for these people

Unfortunately any help the western world offers will have catches to it....

fascinating, especially since this thread just came up today
Hey buddy... Spare Some Food?

Grain might be on its way to becoming the next highest priced commodity next to oil. I know it's currently down, but this is food we're talking about, our most important commodity. Guess we'll just have wait and see what happens.

And another item about Chinas food supply

HONG KONG: August 22, 2005

HONG KONG - Hong Kong's government said on Sunday it had discovered a suspected cancer-causing chemical in some freshwater fish imported from China, but denied the mainland had suspended exports to the territory.
The discovery is the latest in a string of health scares to hit Hong Kong, which relies heavily on mainland China for its food supplies.
Last week Hong Kong health officials said they had found the same chemical, malachite green, in eels and eel meat from mainland China, and authorities have stepped up inspections of pork after a pig-borne disease in southwestern China infected more than 200 people and killed nearly 40 of them.
www.planetark.com...

Hong Kong - Hong Kong health officials said on Friday they had found a suspected cancer-causing chemical in some eels and eel products in grocery stores and restaurants as the latest food scare to hit the territory deepened.
Health officials said they were destroying the contaminated eels and related products, stepping up random tests and placing the chemical, called malachite green, on a list of restricted substances.
The eel scare was the latest in a string of health and food problems to hit Hong Kong, which relies heavily on mainland China for food supplies. The territory has banned pork imports from parts of China after a pig-borne disease there killed 39 people.
www.planetark.com...

If these sort of issues continue it may cause larger problems spinning off. China relies on it's exports and relies on the rice crop...



[edit on 22-8-2005 by Mayet]

Originally posted by Mayet
That is terrible... great find though.....

I don't like the Chinese administration perhaps but the people and children need the food. I really feel for these people

I agree with you there, and hope that a solution is found before it gets worse.

Originally posted by Mayet
Unfortunately any help the western world offers will have catches to it....

I am not sure the CHinese government would accept any offers of help. They are trying to portray themselves as a growing nation soon to become the next superpower.

I just hope that at least in this aspect the Chinese government thinks about their people first, and about their pride last if they do need any help from western countries to feed their population.

[edit on 22-8-2005 by Muaddib]

Good thing they don't like wheat as much as rice, because I think we would see China move very quickly to acquire territory that is ideal for food production.

Luckily Alberta just doesn't grow rice.

But really, its just a small hop from the west coast of Canada, where China is already sending TONNES of ships.

Even if their is no food shortage, what do you think the average Chinese person would think if their government 'had' to invade someone because they didn't have enough food (and didn't want to accept the 'handcuffs' that the Western world would attach to it).

This is what the West gets for its 50 years of f* ing with Africa, making people beg for food, sign over their land (to the UN), etc.

Food IMHO will be the biggest weak spot for China. Rampant pollution will and is taking its toll as well. WHile the focus is on oil and rightfully so, as oil becomes tighter, petro based fertilizers will become more and more expensive, make food a huge must as crop yeilds drop.

Wondering if it's aproblem where the areas affected are isolated or might the disease be spread plant to plant. Rice is a mainstaple for China so I suppose their Gov will do everything possible to correct it.

Dallas

Seller's Market

Originally posted by Muaddib
I am not sure the CHinese government would accept any offers of help. They are trying to portray themselves as a growing nation soon to become the next superpower.

I'm sure the U.S. and other nations will be happy to sell China all the rice it can afford.

Or corn. Or wheat. We got a lot of wheat.

Think they'd want some wheat?

Originally posted by Majic
Seller's Market
I'm sure the U.S. and other nations will be happy to sell China all the rice it can afford.
Or corn. Or wheat. We got a lot of wheat.

No doubt, and it would offset alot of the trade surplus as well esp if prices go higher as they do when there is more demand than supply. Supply can also be manipulated (and is all the time) for commodities.

Food is a strategic resouce like oil. It is conceivable that WWIII could begin over a food or even more likely potable water issue.

They need to plant some condaleeza rice.

Nothing seems to affect that stuff...

Originally posted by Muaddib
...... as one quarter of the nation's farmlands, 24%, are being hit hard by pests and diseases this year.

as far as the pests....
China does not have a ban on DDT
like the USA and other western nations have in place

as far as diseases....
are these pest borne diseases?
or something else specifically attacking the rice, genetically?

there are several, temporary responses the central planning government can do, i.e. buying rice on the open market
If there is a long-range, inherent disease to rice, they too will do that
genetic-engineering stuff to rice...like we've done to certain corn strains

In honesty, I only see this as a minor problem. The Chinese Government was clearing its National debt this year and if I remember they were making sure to keep several billion over for an emergency response if this happens...

Also with the fact they hardly farm any of their land, they are and will soon be able to farm nearly twice as much. I've seen it range between 20 and 40% of land being used by farmers - which could be used but they know if they make too much it'll drive the price down.

They may have the money and the means but I wonder is there going to be enough Rice to feed their people in the fall? Also wondering what the growth cycle timing is for Rice under China's seasonal condirions.

Dallas

Has anyone noticed how many regimes in the world go through tragic food shortages owing to failed crops?

Sure they all have seperate reasons but still...

Nth Korea
Zimabawe

are 2 that sping to mind, .. could crop production be sabotaged via genetically engineered pests, or climate change?

Originally posted by Netchicken
Has anyone noticed how many regimes in the world go through tragic food shortages owing to failed crops?
Sure they all have seperate reasons but still...

Nth Korea
Zimabawe

Don't forget China under Mao or Cambodia under Pot. Notice the Stalinism link??

If the unlikely happens and this does turn into an agricultural/food crisis, the last thing the rest of the world should do is send aid. I'm all for helping other nations in trouble, but I'm sick and tired of watching the CCP kingpins put money into the Chinese military, into their own pockets, and into ridiculous pride exercises like the space program and Olympics - whilst civil needs and the ordinary people of China go wanting. Regarding Western foreign policy towards China, more and more it's becoming a case of selling them the iron they use to make the swords to strike you with. But I guess as long as the elite few are making it fat and rich off the China market, the trend will continue.

If any aid is sent to China, you can guarantee that less than 20% of it will make it to those who need it. Funds will go missing and grain shipments will be "laundered" then sold out the back door for a huge profit. The CCP's track record on this is undeniable. I forget the exact figure, but about USD100million of the first Olympics grant they got was siphoned into CCP members' pockets and private businesses. If a humanitarian crisis forces the CCP to smarten up its act then I say let them burn.

Originally posted by mythatsabigprobe
They need to plant some condaleeza rice. Nothing seems to affect that stuff...

I thought that it was a pest unto itself...

I have noticed the weird co incidences. I also remember reading about the 76 earthquake in China and how suspicion was cast to it being a controlled event.

What is real and what is not that we read about in the media today. I would love a lie detector graph on every media article i read.

I've always suspected that the SARS outbreak in China was a deliberate event. No evidence...just a hunch/musing.

Originally posted by wecomeinpeace
I've always suspected that the SARS outbreak in China was a deliberate event. No evidence...just a hunch/musing.

If it was deliberate then it was something the Chinese concocted. I remember that the Chinese tried to keep a lid on SARS until a chinese doctor blew the lid, he was working for the military and because he spilled the beans he was kept under house arrest. I never did find out what finally happened to him. I forget his name but I did a thread about this some months back in these forums.

[edit on 23-8-2005 by Muaddib]