Rice shortage in India?

SFtoBLR

Just curious how this is affecting India. At Costco yesterday rationing began and a massive line was waiting on opening. As soon as the doors opened they headed straight for the rice and bought the limit. Supply was wiped out in under half an hour. I have never seen anything like it.

Victoria

wow that's impressive SFtoBLR.
and that's in San Fransisco? I've noticed that prices have gone up drastically here, (in france), on rice and pasta but there's no rationing and the shelves are pretty full up.

KateW

just a panic number. so someone reads in the paper there is a world shortage so buys more than they could ever possibly need and creates a shortage in your local shops, so an artificial problem. In India inflation is quite rife so you just have to live on mangos and rice which is still readily available but the price is going up.

Munivar

Is not India having a good monsoon? Hopefully there won't be food shortages...it will affect the poor the most..what with the rocketing inflation..

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rand0M aXiS

This whole "rice shortage" in America is nonsense.

Thirty years ago Johnny Carson made a joke about toilet paper being in short supply and the government would begin rationing. The next day everyone went out and cleared the shelves.

Same thing with rice. At least here in the States. Check out Rice fluff: economist says supplies aplenty for U.S. consumers

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fajitanumerouno

I read that Costco and a few places were rationing because supplies being sent from other countries were being limited (not running out, not a panic situation) and that if we in the US buy a bit less it will somehow put less pressure on their prices, since they have been going up considerably and been in shortage somehow.
Never mind that we have plenty of other carbs to eat here anyhow.

I did notice on one of the international news channels last week that some suppliers in India were keeping prices on products the same but cutting the amount offered. So if you used to buy item x in 100 gram amounts for x rupees, you will now buy x in the 80 gram amount for the same x rupees.
Food prices are up all over.

rand0M aXiS

I have heard, but cannot confirm, that folks are buying rice at Costco or WalMart and reselling on eBay for 3x!!!

nadreg

The "rationing" in Costco is that you could "only" buy 4 bags of Basmati rice in one purchase. Each bag is appx 20lbs of rice, so unless you're trying to literally feed an army, I don't think this ration is going to affect the average American. I think it's the media trying to sell newspapers.

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zoltan

Panic reporting in the media is causing people to start buying up stocks "just in case". This is creating an increase in prices and shortage in the general markets.

Same deal with other food sources - I read a report in Time magazine last week that it's being caused largely by the "ethanol crops" being made from corn and like products.

People are worried about the shortage of oil & farmers are now giving up on food crops to plant crops for bio-fuels (which are apparently worse for the environment).

This is also driving up the prices and availability of food across the globe.

It's not going to end well in the short-term. Those without the means to pay extra for staples (rice; corn; etc) are going to suffer through starvation and this may in turn cause other anti-social repercussions.

As for how it's affecting India, I guess that exports to overseas countries may stop or be reduced, so that their own people can be fed but that's just speculation on my part.

Cheers
Zoltan

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greerdd

it's has been a common topic?

capt_mahajan

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Scandojazzbuff

Here in Thailand, we are the #1 exporter of rice in the world. There is no shortage and the government said yesterday that they would not cut exports in order to stockpile. On the other side of this statement, some distributors wanted to form a cartel in order to raise prices! This is the kind of mentality that is driving the world into a corner.

(On the soap box)When you have governments who are committed to keeping the people poor, Oil companies making billions in profit, leaders who offer no answers that make a difference, the alternative is revolution and war.

wonderwomanusa

It was imported rice that Costco was rationing -- Thai jasmine rice and perhaps those 20-lb sacks of Basmati.

US grows plenty of rice; it's a major crop in California, Texas and a few other places.

Trini

The US are subsidizing farmers who will grow corn for ethanol. I know this because a friend of mine who grew wheat has switched to corn as he will get more profit. Many more wheat farmers in the US are switching to corn. Sugar cane uses far less energy to turn into ethanol but I do not think that Mr Bush has the brain to work that one out.

As for the rice shortage, I am quite happy to eat starchy root vegetables instead!

Brisso

supplies were wiped clean ...