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"Tragically, more than 20 percent of Egypt's population of 76 million live below the poverty level. Recently,in Egypt where bread is not only a staple but also a life saver, two people waiting in line to buy their share of bread at a penny a loaf, were stabbed to death. Five more succumbed to exhaustion, heat related deaths or heart problems. Others in line especially the poorer ones, waited all day nearly faint with hunger, yet still received no bread. When it came their turn, no bread was left and those who received bread said it wasn't fit to eat anyway. Reminds me of a story I heard of how centuries ago, when there was a bread shortage, bakers were mixing weights and sawdust into the bread dough to receive more money for less bread.
Egypt grows about 7 million tons of wheat and consumes 14 million tons. The country receives 2 billion yearly in military aid from the USA and was spending about 54 million of that to purchase the wheat. But because of rising prices, Egypt is looking to cheaper countries to buy their wheat instead of buying from the USA, Australia, and the former soviet republic. This is where the black market comes in to play. The rising cost of wheat has more than tripled in just the last ten months.
This is of global concern to all as the poorer countries will have massive starvation and government controlled poverty. The military in Egypt have their own bakeries which feed their employees, but have opened some 10 bakeries to sell subsidized bread. It's not nearly enough, and they plan on other bakeries opening soon to help with the flow of people and to shorten the lines.
Why are we having these rising prices? Decreased crop production due to horrible weather patterns, higher demand to grow grain for those who consume meat and dairy products. For years, vegetarians have warned of this happening and now it has. India, Brazil and China grow massive quantities of grain for meat and dairy consumers. Converting land to biofuel crops instead of using the land for food has caused shortages, and there's the rising cost of oil of course which plays a large factor.
The best part of rising costs is, the world will now be forced to take the opportunity to
eliminate those subsidies to rich farmers and assist those farmers who are poorer. Amazingly global rises in food forces us to reduce global inequality. Still it is the poor who will suffer the most as it can often take years to debate trade agreements to resolve this inequality.
At this time there are groups who help the poor with other sources of food such as in Brazil
where the Landless Workers' Movement advocate food sovereignty as a solution. They work locally to provide alternative sources of food for the poor.
Rising prices for grain have been of short duration in the past so we hope it will be the same this time. In the meantime, I believe the USA with its stockpiles of grain has the ability to help those poorer countries until this crisis is over."
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