Wheat crop excess denied to the starving

[cpxxx]

It's never black and white when it comes to food aid. Back in the eighties during the famous Live Aid period. Much of Ethiopia had plenty of food while other parts were starving. There are any number of examples. Surplus American grain for example, generously sent to Africa often has the effect of contributing to the problem. Cheap or free and plentiful grain depressed the local market so much that the local farmers cannot compete and they up on food aid themselves. Ironic really.

There's ads on TV from a charity looking for donations claiming they can end hunger. Well I remember 35 years ago taking part in a fast to raise money for the same charity. Back then they claimed they could end hunger. I no longer believe them.

That rotting wheat would do little in the larger scheme of things. Worse it could have the same effect as the one above.

If anyone has a solution for this intractable problem they're keeping it quiet.

[CAP1]

It's never black and white when it comes to food aid. Back in the eighties during the famous Live Aid period. Much of Ethiopia had plenty of food while other parts were starving. There are any number of examples. Surplus American grain for example, generously sent to Africa often has the effect of contributing to the problem. Cheap or free and plentiful grain depressed the local market so much that the local farmers cannot compete and they up on food aid themselves. Ironic really.

There's ads on TV from a charity looking for donations claiming they can end hunger. Well I remember 35 years ago taking part in a fast to raise money for the same charity. Back then they claimed they could end hunger. I no longer believe them.

That rotting wheat would do little in the larger scheme of things. Worse it could have the same effect as the one above.

If anyone has a solution for this intractable problem they're keeping it quiet.

 bolded.....well that right there was the problem. why in the world would our govt. send surplus food to another country, while not even attempting to do anything for those in need in our own country?

[MrRiplEy[H]]

(Image removed from quote.)

The following article was in todays London Metro newspaper.  A free give away paper that I normally pick up at the tube station on my way to work.

"Millions of tonnes of wheat are going to waste in India because there's nowhere to keep the grain dry.
After a bumper harvest, sacks full of the foodstuff are being left to rot - despite millions of the country's children starving.
Sharad Yadav, a key opposition leader. said it was a "Colossal waste of food".  He added that while people are dying of hunger, food grain is rotting in the open."

It has been a particularly good year for wheat crops in India but as a result, the country's storage space has run out.
Food minister KV Thomas said the government was taking "all necessary steps" to increase storage and working with the private sector to buy new warehouses.

About 42% of Indians under the age of five are malnourished.

Selling the grain at a subsidised price is not possible because it will expand the fiscal deficit, economists say."



After reading the article and being not too familiar with the "bean counters" lingo, I was a little confused as to what "expand the fiscal deficit" meant.
What I interpret from this phrase is that they are not going to allow someone to buy it at a subsidised rate and then risk the export of  it damaging the trade price of the good stuff.


The mind (mine anyway) boggles at the waste of a resource in this way

Whoa imagine the amount of rats there are there. India + food storage = bad news.

[VonMessa]

Think of all the potential Weissbier gone to waste.

The thought crossed my mind, as well.

[Klam]

There are many businesses that buy up this kind of material and convert it into biomass fuels etc...

[zack1234]

Bob Geldof is not on the breadline