Grain prices soar globally

[Dodi]

Grain prices soar globally
By Daniel Ten Kate | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor

Bangkok, Thailand - - Rice farmers here are staying awake in shifts at night to guard their fields from thieves. In Peru, shortages of wheat flour are prompting the military to make bread with potato flour, a native crop. In Egypt, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso food riots have broken out in the past week.

Around the world, governments and aid groups are grappling with the escalating cost of basic grains. In December, 37 countries faced a food crisis, reports the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), and 20 nations had imposed some form of food-price controls.

In Asia, where rice is on every plate, prices are shooting up almost daily. Premium Thai fragrant rice now costs $900 per ton, a nearly 30 percent rise from a month ago.

Exporters say the price could eclipse $1,000 per ton by June. Similarly, prices of white rice have climbed about 50 percent since January to $600 per ton and are projected to jump another 40 percent to $800 per ton in April.

article here (http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0327/p01s02-woap.html)

[OnceWasLost]

Thanks to all the ethanol kooks. :ohno

Stupid science has consequences.:tsk

[SumSam]

India introduces rice export ban (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7323713.stm)

The Indian government has banned the export of non-basmati rice to try and control soaring domestic food costs.

The decision, one of a series of measures to curb inflation, was taken during an emergency cabinet meeting.

The price for exports of aromatic basmati rice has also been raised to $1,200 per tonne to discourage exports.

The move could have an impact on rice prices globally as the country is the third largest exporter of the grain - a staple food in many countries.

The move is the latest in a series of increases in the export price of non-basmati rice.

The price of such rice was increased from $650 to $1,000 per tonne in the month of March alone.

:(

[semo]

This is very troubling. I'm going to have to be a lot more careful in monitoring my food budget, and not letting good food go to waste.

[Amanda's mom]

This is very troubling. I'm going to have to be a lot more careful in monitoring my food budget, and not letting good food go to waste.

My family hates leftovers but if that's what I put on the table, they're stuck! :aha

Seriously, when I was growing up, mom made the most of every meal. Leftover roast beef was made into potpie. Ham was baked, then cut up cold, then cut up and fried, and when all that was left was the bone, we had bean soup that lasted for a good part of the next week. So, I learned to not let anything go to waste. Cheap cuts of meat can be cooked in ways that make them tender and flavorful if you give it some thought and enough time. I love to get a smoked pork shoulder and simmer it all day. Then I save the ham stock, let it cool in the fridge overnight, skim off the fat, and freeze it to make beans/bean soup out of it. The ham itself goes through 3 or more dinners and then any left over bits are frozen with the stock to go into the soup or beans.

I think this is something that many of today's cooks don't do. We, as a nation, have become so used to a variety of foods being cheap and readily available so the old tricks are forgotten. Going back to "from scratch" cooking is one of the best ways to save on the budget and get a healthy meal. But, again, we have become used to mixes for everything. I remember being shocked when a young cousin wanted nothing to do with mom's homemade mac and cheese...he only liked the boxed kind. Sad. :ohno

[Lorren]

I'm getting more concerned with using what we have as well. And using my available resources.

We got a new, very expensive but quality blender a couple of weeks ago. I've learned to use it to make potato soups (usually I don't use up a whole bag of potatoes). I also made my own breadcrumbs with leftover bread, as well as cheese sauce to go on macaroni. It also makes fruit smoothies, which I can drop almost the entire fruit in, seeds and all, and it makes a nutritious, tasty drink.

[semo]

My family hates leftovers but if that's what I put on the table, they're stuck! :aha

Seriously, when I was growing up, mom made the most of every meal. Leftover roast beef was made into potpie. Ham was baked, then cut up cold, then cut up and fried, and when all that was left was the bone, we had bean soup that lasted for a good part of the next week. So, I learned to not let anything go to waste. Cheap cuts of meat can be cooked in ways that make them tender and flavorful if you give it some thought and enough time. I love to get a smoked pork shoulder and simmer it all day. Then I save the ham stock, let it cool in the fridge overnight, skim off the fat, and freeze it to make beans/bean soup out of it. The ham itself goes through 3 or more dinners and then any left over bits are frozen with the stock to go into the soup or beans.

I think this is something that many of today's cooks don't do. We, as a nation, have become so used to a variety of foods being cheap and readily available so the old tricks are forgotten. Going back to "from scratch" cooking is one of the best ways to save on the budget and get a healthy meal. But, again, we have become used to mixes for everything. I remember being shocked when a young cousin wanted nothing to do with mom's homemade mac and cheese...he only liked the boxed kind. Sad. :ohno

I need to learn to cook like this. I've gotten way too dependent on convenience foods. Most of my "cooking" recently has been heating or reheating. :doh

[Amanda's mom]

I need to learn to cook like this. I've gotten way too dependent on convenience foods. Most of my "cooking" recently has been heating or reheating. :doh

Get a hold of your mom's old cookbooks. I have some old favorites like Rumford's Cook Book and Crisco's Praise For The Cook Book. Look in the book store for good crock pot cooking books. I used to use my crock pot all the time but the kids changed my cooking habits as they refused to eat the stews and sauces...I even made bread in the crock pot once. It wasn't bad. The Joy Of Cooking is okay but it doesn't quite suit me. Mostly, the type of cooking I do is seat-of-my-pants...if I think it might go good together, I give it a try. If there's some way I can help, let me know. :hat