What's going on with rice?

Question

I've read there is a worldwide crisis. What is the cause? Is there really a shortage?

Answer 1

I don't really know but I did see a documentary on how in Texas they have lost jobs because they are paying people not to grow anything in the rice fields...which sounds so ridiculous with all the people that are starving and just a bowl of rice could make a difference.

here's the link to the show I saw:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...

this is a link about rice.

http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=ri...

(it was weird there was this question last week and I didn't know about the rice, then I saw this show on some PBS station....strange)

hope this answer helps:)

Answer 2

There isn't a shortage.  Just some sloppy reporting by the media, some panicking by consumers, and some profiteering by retail stores.

Here's what's going on. There are many varieties of rice.  Two of which, Jasmine and Basmatti, are only produced in specific areas of the world (India and Thailand.)  Those regions are reporting lower than average crop yields.  As a result, they've slowed the export of these types of rice to the rest of the world.  As a result of that, the price of these rices have greatly increased.  

In addition, there are protests over in Taiwan about their president allowing the national stockpile of rice to dwindle from a 2 year supply to 60 days.  This is where the "OMG! 60 days of food! Panic!" line came from.  While all countries maintain such stockpiles, this doesn't mean that in 60 days Taiwan is suddenly going to go beserk due to starving people.  It's like an emergency bank account.  It's probably not a wise thing to let it get too low - just in case something WERE to happen - but it's not a disaster in of itself.  US officials have stated, repeatedly, there is no shortage of rice in the US stockpile.  (now whether you believe the US government is another matter...)

Anyways, owners of Indian and Thai restaurants (among others) have  started to stockpile rice to protect themselves from even higher prices later on.  In response, stores have started to ration the sale of these rices.  Sams Club and Costco are both rationing the sale of these rice to 80lbs per person per trip.  Now, 80lbs is still a huge freaking amount of rice.  1 cup of uncooked rice is enough for a family of 4 adults for 1 meal.  80lbs of rice is easily enough for several hundred families.

Basic white rice - both long and short grain - is not in short supply, although stores have tried marking the prices up to take advantage of the general worried population.