Food Doom 2011: Monitoring rising food prices and shortages around the world as they unfold

reply to post by bluestar.ranch


Well I am seriously considering my own vegie patch considering the price of food. We have already gone halves in a lamb (sorry lamby) with family and had it made into sausages.

I hardly ever do the shopping but today had to fend for myself and I could not believe the price of fruit and vegies. I indulged and bought a couple of figs for $7.62 NZD for two figs!!!

Money may not grow on trees but my fruit will grown in my own garden as soon as I get over the fear of spiders.

a few years ago we would spend around 140-175 bucks on groceries for 2 weeks..now it's 200-300.00 dollars every two weeks.

I keep a pantry list and check mark the stuff we are out of...hardly ever do we deviate from the list of stuff..we have always purchased the same brands, same quantity, etc...so it's now like we were buying the cheap stuff a few years ago and now buying prime rib and TIDE..

Every time I go to the grocery store I feel like we are being ripped off..I keep all my receipts for groceries and just in the last 6 months some stuff has risen over a dollar..for the exact same item!

The other day my husband and I were looking for Corn Beef, couldnt find it anywhere, then I realized, it comes from Brazil, checked online and sure enough shipments are grounded. Not seeing that anytime soon (actually wondered if I already tasted Corn Beef for the last time without knowing it )

Something so small like corn beef made me actually realize that its only going to be much bigger and worse and WILL hit closer to home.

I see an increase in canned food, meats, milk, even cheap cleaning products

We need to learn to let our own bodies eat themselves away as its getting to expensive,TPTB get what they want either way.Grow a beard and live in a cave with candles.

Originally posted by Clarion36
reply to post by silent thunder

 

Our global food shortage is a growing and continuing problem. We will see more revolutions in countries with food shorages in the months and years to come. Food prices in the U.S. are rising also with an increasing rate. So far most of the food companies have either absorbed the increased costs or reduced package sizes to keep prices at their current levels. This will not be sustainable however and look for sticker shock in the months to come.

Our global, profit-driven food distribution methods have left shortages in areas. The price rise, I suspect, has more to do with the coming hyperinflation.

reply to post by lewman


Maybe I can start my cookbook for cannibals idea.

Originally posted by starwarsisreal
so with food prices on the rise will we see riots like the one in Europe?
www.youtube.com...

USA wont start riots over food prices lolol

UK and Europe protests last year were NOT about food price increases

reply to post by silent thunder


Excellent Thread

Love the idea of having just ONE thread gathering NEW Updated important links/information for this topic

Originally posted by WeBrooklyn
The other day my husband and I were looking for Corn Beef, couldnt find it anywhere, then I realized, it comes from Brazil, checked online and sure enough shipments are grounded. Not seeing that anytime soon (actually wondered if I already tasted Corn Beef for the last time without knowing it

)

Something so small like corn beef made me actually realize that its only going to be much bigger and worse and WILL hit closer to home.
I see an increase in canned food, meats, milk, even cheap cleaning products

You will have to make your own corned beef. It's time consuming, but probably even better than buying it.

www.ehow.com...
www.life123.com...

Both the English and Irish have been corning beef (brining beef) for centuries. Salt kernels used to look a lot like corn kernels, hence the name "corned beef." This technique is used to transform a tough piece of beef into a melt-in-your-mouth delicacy we now associate with the celebration of St. Patrick's Day and everything Irish.

reply to post by snowspirit

You will have to make your own corned beef. It's time consuming, but probably even better than buying it. www.ehow.com... www.life123.com... Both the English and Irish have been corning beef (brining beef) for centuries. Salt kernels used to look a lot like corn kernels, hence the name "corned beef." This technique is used to transform a tough piece of beef into a melt-in-your-mouth delicacy we now associate with the celebration of St. Patrick's Day and everything Irish.

Definitely something to try, thanks alot!

Another food related post at Zerohedge today. With my limited writing skills, I won't even try to expand on this fine effort by Krieger...he pretty much says it all.

Please read guys.

The Global Revolution Is Accelerating - Mike Krieger Explains

The Global Revolution: Welcome to Phase Two

When first I mentioned the food riots in Tunisia and Algeria in my note two weeks ago the former authoritarian leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali had yet to flee to Saudi Arabia with much of his nation’s gold. What I find so amazing about this whole situation is why someone in their right mind would take the time to take some shiny little element that is in a bubble and that you can’t eat in the chaos surrounding one’s escape to another nation. Surely he has hidden foreign bank accounts and since gold is just another “fiat” currency according to a Wall Street strategist, why bother? He must be some right-wing radical that likes the Constitution and is therefore anti-American. Isn’t that right Mr. Potok?

So back to the food situation. When I say that we are in Phase Two I am actually not referring to the simple fact that a leader with a 23 year rule under his belt was deposed in weeks seemingly out of nowhere, I am referring to the actions that are being taken and will be taken all over the world in response. As I have said time and time again, government’s today throughout the world could care less about their citizens. When they show signs of caring it is merely to satiate the people back to sleep so that they can stay in control. - Continues

Oh, on that Gold thingy....

Ex Tunisia President's Wife Left with 1.5 Tons of Gold

Grocery prices skyrocket faster than official inflation

Food prices increased an average of 1.7 percent between November 2009 and November 2010, in comparison with a general inflation rate of only 1.1 percent. The greatest price increases were seen among meat, poultry, fish and eggs, which went up in cost by 5.8 percent. The price of sugar and sweets increased 1.2 percent, the price of fats and oils increased 3 percent and the price of dairy-based products increased 3.8 percent.

The only commodities to go up in price more than food were medical care and transportation.

Dont forget the Situations in the Middle East which seems to spread faster and faster (Now Yemen is about to explode) If this spreads further,which is likeley,the Oil Price will shoot up very quickly...and you know what that will mean for the Food Prices...

Originally posted by Shenon
Dont forget the Situations in the Middle East which seems to spread faster and faster (Now Yemen is about to explode) If this spreads further,which is likeley,the Oil Price will shoot up very quickly...and you know what that will mean for the Food Prices

Good call Shenon. Star! Commodities trader Dan Norcini just made an important statement related to the ongoing crises in Egypt. Escalating food costs in developing economies are a direct consequence of hot capital flows courtesy of the US Fed. This is the incriminating back-story you won't hear from any MSM source domiciled in the USofA.

Snips....

It seems to me that the catalyst for the huge amount of unrest in the region of the world was the surge in food prices. One of the things that the wheat market has been watching and anticipating has been Egyptian wheat purchases. They are one of our largest buyers of wheat and there was talk that began last week and continued earlier this week that Egypt was going to be forced into buying a good deal more US wheat in an attempt to make sure that there was sufficient supply for one thing and that they could snag it before its price moved even higher. Their leaders no doubt saw what happened to the government of Tunisia and wanted to nip any potential problem in the bud. Apparently things moved too quickly for them. Regardless, we have been warning that this outbreak of the inflation virus, a virus I might add which has been fed, nourished, propagated and even lovingly caressed by the US Federal Reserve, was going to result in global instability as its effects were primarily being seen in the cost of food. Rising food prices in the undeveloped world are NOT INGREDIENTS for peaceful society.

A question for Ben and the boyz at the Fed, (Governor Hoenig exempted), “How do you like your handiwork now?”

I will repeat – the Federal Reserve of the US is exporting runaway inflation across the entire globe with its reckless policy of QE. Bernanke has hubristically asserted in his interview on “60 minutes” late last year that “this fear of inflation is overstated”. We need to record this for history to make certain that it is not forgotten or dismissed. Try telling that to the leaders of the nations across the globe who are now dealing with riots and anarchy in their streets. I am sure that they will take comfort from Ben’s words. - Full Text

Govt to regulate pvt retail chains to rein in high food prices
The Centre now plans toregulate private retail chains to ensure they did not makeundue profit, Union Minister of State for Food and CivilSupplies KV Thomas said today. "We are not against private retail ..."

End of cheap food era as grain prices stay high
U.S. grain prices should stay unrelentingly high this year, according to a Reuters poll, the latest sign that the era of cheap food has come to an end....The forecasts suggest no quick relief for nations bedeviled by record high food costs that have stoked civil unrest. It means any extreme weather event in a grains-producing part of the world could send prices soaring further.

Gold caught in rising food prices, geopolitical worries
...The news pushed up gold prices and pressured equities as traders sought some safe-haven in case unrest spreads in the Middle East.

Food Price Volatility Dominates Farm Ministers’ Summit
High and volatile food prices dominated discussions at a farm ministers’ summit on trade and food security in Berlin this weekend. However, while participants reached broad agreement on the problem, they disagreed over its causes and preferred solutions, with the role played by financial market speculation proving particularly controversial.

Roubini: Oil, energy, food prices a risk to stability
...Asked to pick what he considered the biggest new threat, Roubini...highlighted the large increase in commodity prices. He said the rapid rise "could be a source of political instability, not only economic and financial fragility"..."What has happened in Tunisia and is happening right now in Egypt, but also the riots in Morocco, Algeria, Pakistan are related not only to high unemployment rates and to income and wealth inequality, but also to the very sharp rise in food and commodity prices."

Price volatility and food shortages to remain
The FAO Food Price Index at the end of 2010 returned to its highest level. Drought in Russia and the export restrictions adopted by the government, together with lower crop harvests than expected, first in the United States and Europe, then in Australia and Argentina, have triggered a process of soaring agricultural commodity prices on international markets.

Record food prices inflame poor
Record food prices might fan social unrest and fuel inflation beyond North Africa, delegates at the World Economic Forum said yesterday, after thousands of people took to the streets of Cairo to denounce President Hosni Mubarak. “This protest won’t end in North Africa; it will spread in many countries because of high unemployment and increasing food prices,” Hamza al-Kholi, the chairman and chief executive of Saudi Alkholi Group, a holding company investing in industrials and real estate, said in Davos.

FAO Warns Food Price Controls May Dent Supplies
The United Nation's food agency warned that government intervention to tame food price rises, such as export bans, could create world shortages in the long-term. Last summer wheat prices soared to highs not seen since the food crisis of 2007-08 after major grain producer Russia banned exports in a bid to contain domestic inflation after drought slashed its harvest.

Originally posted by silent thunder
Hello people, thought I'd start a thread to consolidate information on rising food prices and food shortages in 2011, as the issue starts to hit the news with renewed impact. I encourage anyone to post commentary and links to related articles throughout the year, if you'd like to play along.

To kick the thread off, a few recent tales of woe:

Wheat Futures At 29 Month High As Developing Country Demand Surges In Aftermath Of Tunisia Revolution

All Evidence Points To A Dramatic Increase In Food Prices Worldwide, Possible Shortages

Global Food Prices in 2011 Face Perilous Rise

Argentina drought causes sharp spike in corn prices

World Risks Food Riots as Grains Climb, Economist Chalmin Says

Obama and Sarkozy to address rocketing Global food prices at talks

UN warns record food prices put millions at risk

Global wheat reserves drop to 175.2 million tons

World Food Prices Surge to Record, Passing Levels That Sparked 2008 Riots

China Province Faces Worst Drought in a Century

I understand the point in your thread and i think its a good idea but what strikes me even more is that the UK throws away 8.3 million tonnes of food every year...now i aint no rocket scientist but that to me suggests there aint no such thing as a food shortage...infact i think it will be a good thing.

People see the Use-by date on food (which is on bloody everything) and automatically throw it away even if its still fine. What ever happened to using your eyes and mouth to see if its ok? Its no wonder supermarkets are successful...people go every week to waste stupid amounts of moeny that they just throw away.

The world food situation annoys me...

Grow your own veg and keep some chickens or whatever, you'll be fine!

reply to post by jrmcleod


The sources I trust indicate that there is no absolute shortage of food on the globe right now, so the capacity to feed everyone exists. There are long-term concerns about the ability of the earth to feed everyone, but that is basically a separate issue from the price hikes this year. I started this thread with the intention of focusing on the more immediate shortages. These are and will be a matter of life a death for millions in the less developed nations. In the advanced nations, it won't be an issue of starvation, but it can seriously impact the economy on many levels. Also, the destabilizing effects among the worlds poorest could damage all sorts of global systems, paving the way for more serious shocks in the developed world.

I see the most obvious cause of the current conditions in the insane amounts of credit creation that the worlds central banks have been pumping out, amplified through the leveraging that takes place on commodities markets. All tha hot money is seeking a home in commodities, jacking prices skyward.

Originally posted by silent thunder
reply to post by jrmcleod

 

The sources I trust indicate that there is no absolute shortage of food on the globe right now, so the capacity to feed everyone exists. There are long-term concerns about the ability of the earth to feed everyone, but that is basically a separate issue from the price hikes this year. I started this thread with the intention of focusing on the more immediate shortages. These are and will be a matter of life a death for millions in the less developed nations. In the advanced nations, it won't be an issue of starvation, but it can seriously impact the economy on many levels. Also, the destabilizing effects among the worlds poorest could damage all sorts of global systems, paving the way for more serious shocks in the developed world.

I see the most obvious cause of the current conditions in the insane amounts of credit creation that the worlds central banks have been pumping out, amplified through the leveraging that takes place on commodities markets. All tha hot money is seeking a home in commodities, jacking prices skyward.

I fully expect hyperinflation for the very reason that they have been extending credit (and paying out gazillions that they created out of thin air). It was how control of Germany began, and they want to control us by destroying our monetary system...

If we eliminate the need for money entirely, we can solve this issue and thwart the efforts to take us down. (My free book, linked in my sig, as well as many threads and posts of mine show how we can do this).

A bit of an Egypt/Middle East theme today, given the action in that neck of the woods, but some news from China and a bit from the developed world reminds us this is a global issue.

Food staples starting to run out in Egypt
While discontent, resentment and nationalism continue to fuel demonstrations, one vital staple is in short supply: food. Many families in Egypt are fast running out of staples such as bread, beans and rice and are often unable or unwilling to shop for groceries. "Everything is running out. I have three children, and I only have enough to feed them for maybe two more days. After that I do not know what we will do." school administrator Gamalat Gadalla told CNN.

After food protests, water riots are next
The rise of the middle classes in emerging markets, coupled with a soaring world population, underpin an increase in the price of basics such as wheat, corn and sugar. But the situation is going to be made much worse by the scarcity of water – the most important commodity there is. "Water remains a more problematic commodity than food and fuel: though cheap in its natural state, it is expensive to process and expensive to transport, especially in the quantities necessary for agriculture," according to a report from a Washington-based think tank released last month. "Past water shortages have been temporary or small-scaled; future groundwater depletion will be massive and effectively permanent."

Rising Food Prices Can Topple Governments, Too
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations says its global food price index is at a record high, above even where it stood during the last food crisis three years ago. In early 2008, rising prices caused riots in dozens of countries — several of which are now seeing uprisings once again.

Egypt and Tunisia usher in the new era of global food revolutions
Political risk has returned with a vengeance. The first food revolutions of our Malthusian era have exposed the weak grip of authoritarian regimes in poor countries that import grain, whether in North Africa today or parts of Asia tomorrow. If you insist on joining the emerging market party at this stage of the agflation blow-off, avoid countries with an accelerating gap between rich and poor. Cairo’s EGX stock index has dropped 20pc in nine trading sessions.

China hungry for local food assets
China is gearing up for a multi-billion-dollar investment push into the Australian agricultural sector to secure food supplies after a senior official admitted the country would face pressure supplying farm produce to its 1.3 billion people over the next five years. The Australian has learned that interest from Chinese buyers across the whole spectrum of Australian agribusiness has stepped up markedly in the past six months, with the sweet spot being in "under the radar" private farms, aggregation and processing businesses worth between $10 million and $200m. Purchases of businesses within this range would avoid scrutiny by the Foreign Investment Review Board, whose purview is limited to businesses worth more $231m.

Orange juice will soon be 'luxury'
Orange and apple juice, an integral part of many people's breakfast, could become an unaffordable "luxury", according to a report, which highlights how the price of fruit juice has rocketed. A series of bad harvests from Florida, America to Shandong Province, China, combined with increased demand from Asian countries, has forced up the price of orange and apple juice on the world market. Supermarkets have started to react in Britain by pushing up the price of a carton of juice. The Grocer, the industry trade magazine, reported prices are set to climb even higher making most juices a "luxury". Experts predicted factory prices could rise by as much as 80 per cent for orange juice and 60 per cent for apple juice in 2011.

Was just sent info on a new online book that may be of interest to those following this topic. The book is free and I can't vouch for it, not having read it yet, but I'm going to have a look.

Online book: The Shifting Patterns of Agricultural Production and Productivity Worldwide

"In this book we assemble a range of evidence from a range of sources with a view to developing an improved understanding of recent trends in agricultural productivity around the world. The fundamental purpose is to better understand the nature of the long-term growth in the supply of food and its principal determinants. We pursue this purpose from two perspectives. One is from a general interest in the world food situation in the long run. The other is from an interest in the implications of U.S. and global productivity patterns for U.S. agriculture..."