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Solution to food crisis lies in revealing real truth

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-11 10:17

The explanation for such a reaction lies hidden in those nations' own interests.

The violent surge in oil prices on international markets has heavily burdened major import countries like the United States and the EU nations. They need to use their rich agricultural resources to switch to biofuels, so as to ease the cost burden of and reliance on imported oil.

It also allows them to play the green energy card.

Therefore, they choose to refrain from mentioning the dire consequences of large-scale biofuel production. It could eat up global wheat and maize stocks, diminish food supply, push up food prices, and plunge millions into starvation.

The rising food prices have already pushed some 100 million people across the world below the poverty line, the report estimated.

To reveal the truth behind the world food crisis is not aimed at seeking a scapegoat, but rather at uncovering the real picture and finding the real problems, so that corresponding solutions can be found.

Related readings:  UN chief calls for steps to address food crisis  Hu: 'We're not to blame' for food crisis  Trade barriers blamed for food crisis

For example, biofuel itself is green energy and, as the World Bank report pointed out, some crops such as sugarcane can be used to manufacture biofuels, as Brazil does, without creating the risk of higher food prices.

But the United States uses almost one-third of its maize production and the EU about half of its vegetable oil production to make biofuels, while millions, most of them in developing countries, face starvation.

The choice between filling up stomachs or filling up tanks could not be more obvious.

The global food crisis needs a comprehensive and rational evaluation, so that its real causes are discovered, and practical solutions arrived at.

The article in the Guardian pointed out that the World Bank report was finished in April but was not published earlier to avoid embarrassing the U.S. government.

On issues such as this, which are affecting the entire world, revealing the truth and informing the public must get top priority, so that people, governments and organizations can jointly look for feasible solutions to end the crisis.

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