Urban Food Survival - Fears of Food Shortages Rise With Thai Floods
Chris Malcom's Urban Food Survival Food guide aims to make you prepared for the upcoming food shortage, whether it be caused by financial crisis or rental destruction such as hurricanes or floods. One real examples just for this event and its effect on food supply can be seen in what occur in Thailand today. Below is definitely an article from Wall Street Journal blog that describes this matter.
Southeast Asia's fight with some of the worst floods in decades is a lot from over, with waters seeping deeper in the Thai capital of Bangkok. However the United Nations is already warning that areas of Southeast Asia affected by the floods are facing serious food shortages, an issue caused by destroyed crops and compounded from the difficulty in delivering food assistance.
An investigation from the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization says that significant flooding and devastation across Southeast Asia - including Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand - is mainly responsible for severe damage to housing, infrastructure and agriculture.
Official estimates indicate that 1.Six million hectares, or 12.5% the entire rice farmland has been damaged in Thailand alone. In Cambodia, 12% of paddy fields happen to be destroyed, with another 7.5% in Laos, 6% in the Philippines and 0.4% in Vietnam in accordance with the FAO. In Thailand, while no precise crop damage estimates can be purchased, the FAO warned that the main rice season is at the critical growth stage and is likely to be affected one of the most.
The region has also seen scores of livestock killed or displaced, with significant numbers believed to still be at risk. In Thailand alone, 9.9 million head of livestock are in risk according to the Secretary of state for Agriculture and Cooperatives, though the dpi is set to rise because the flood situation worsens.
Diplomats and representatives of countries suffering from the floods have continued to downplay fears of food shortages across Southeast Asia, where rice is a vital food. Of course there will be less output this year, but I think you will have enough for export and for the consumption inside Thailand, said the Thai Ambassador to Singapore, Nopadol Gunavibool, with a media briefing reported inside the Straits Times.
The Cambodia Ambassador to Singapore, Sin Serey, declared that some farmers in Cambodia had switched to flood-resistant rice grains that may grow even if paddy fields were flooded. Both were speaking at an event to raise funds for flood victims in Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines. In Singapore, even though roads have remained relatively dry apart from some relatively inconsequential flash floods, some inside the import-dependent city-state are still worried about the availability and price of rice.
The situation was raised in Singapore's parliament, nevertheless the Ministry of State for Trade and Industry was quick to allay fears that this city-state will be affected. Though rice prices have risen 9% in Singapore since January, Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State for Trade and Industry declared Singapore imports rice from a variety of sources - including Vietnam, India as well as the United States.
Additionally, all rice importers in the city-state keep a stockpile of two month's supply. The Ministry of Trade and Marketplace is continuing to watch your situation.
Countries affected by the floods, however, may not be as fortunate. The Ministry of Commerce in Thailand warned a week ago - before the worsening flood situation - there could be a possibility of a rice shortage later around with 5-6 million tons of rice lost for the floods, and an additional 35 warehouses and rice mills devastated.
Southeast Asia's fight with some of the worst floods in decades is a lot from over, with waters seeping deeper in the Thai capital of Bangkok. However the United Nations is already warning that areas of Southeast Asia affected by the floods are facing serious food shortages, an issue caused by destroyed crops and compounded from the difficulty in delivering food assistance.
An investigation from the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization says that significant flooding and devastation across Southeast Asia - including Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand - is mainly responsible for severe damage to housing, infrastructure and agriculture.
Official estimates indicate that 1.Six million hectares, or 12.5% the entire rice farmland has been damaged in Thailand alone. In Cambodia, 12% of paddy fields happen to be destroyed, with another 7.5% in Laos, 6% in the Philippines and 0.4% in Vietnam in accordance with the FAO. In Thailand, while no precise crop damage estimates can be purchased, the FAO warned that the main rice season is at the critical growth stage and is likely to be affected one of the most.
The region has also seen scores of livestock killed or displaced, with significant numbers believed to still be at risk. In Thailand alone, 9.9 million head of livestock are in risk according to the Secretary of state for Agriculture and Cooperatives, though the dpi is set to rise because the flood situation worsens.
Diplomats and representatives of countries suffering from the floods have continued to downplay fears of food shortages across Southeast Asia, where rice is a vital food. Of course there will be less output this year, but I think you will have enough for export and for the consumption inside Thailand, said the Thai Ambassador to Singapore, Nopadol Gunavibool, with a media briefing reported inside the Straits Times.
The Cambodia Ambassador to Singapore, Sin Serey, declared that some farmers in Cambodia had switched to flood-resistant rice grains that may grow even if paddy fields were flooded. Both were speaking at an event to raise funds for flood victims in Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines. In Singapore, even though roads have remained relatively dry apart from some relatively inconsequential flash floods, some inside the import-dependent city-state are still worried about the availability and price of rice.
The situation was raised in Singapore's parliament, nevertheless the Ministry of State for Trade and Industry was quick to allay fears that this city-state will be affected. Though rice prices have risen 9% in Singapore since January, Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State for Trade and Industry declared Singapore imports rice from a variety of sources - including Vietnam, India as well as the United States.
Additionally, all rice importers in the city-state keep a stockpile of two month's supply. The Ministry of Trade and Marketplace is continuing to watch your situation.
Countries affected by the floods, however, may not be as fortunate. The Ministry of Commerce in Thailand warned a week ago - before the worsening flood situation - there could be a possibility of a rice shortage later around with 5-6 million tons of rice lost for the floods, and an additional 35 warehouses and rice mills devastated.
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