Food protests worldwide

Food prices continue to rise worldwide.

This is leading to protests.

"Across Central Asia the talk has been of bread, and fear.

"In this region of extreme poverty and fragile political stability, a loaf of bread is becoming too pricey for too many." - Sept 2007, BBC NEWS Special Reports Counting the cost of wheat price hike

In January 2008, over 10,000 marched in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, in protest at soaring soyabean prices. ( Rising food prices provoke angry protests in Indonesia9Feb08 ... )

"The indications are in general pointing to high prices," Abdolreza Abbassian, a senior grains analyst at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in Rome, told AFP.

The agency's figures show food prices globally soared nearly 40% in 2007, leading to protests in Myanmar, Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia. (As Asia food prices bite, analysts warn of worse to come - Yahoo ...)

"Recent pasta protests in Italy, tortilla rallies in Mexico and onion demonstrations in India are just the start of the social instability to come unless there is a fundamental shift to boost production of staple foods, Joachim von Braun, the head of the International Food Policy Research Institute, warned in an interview with the Guardian." (Riots and hunger feared as demand for grain sends food costs ...)

Some causes of rising food prices:

1. The rich Chinese are eating more meat and dairy products.

2. The cars of the rich are getting fuel from corn, cane and edible oils

3. Climate change can mean droughts in Australia and elsewhere.

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