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Huan Yi
Member Ascendant

since 2004-10-12

Posts 6688
Waukegan

0 posted 2007-11-30 07:54 PM

.

It is my understanding
that there have been violent riots
from among the world's poor because the cost of basic needs
have been risen to the point of intolerable burden
for so many by the use of crops as sources of
alternative fuel instead of food.

How would you resolve the conflict?

John

.

TomMark
Member Elite

since 2007-07-27

Posts 2133
LA,CA

1 posted 2007-11-30 08:10 PM

show the link.

I have no problem for hungry to get feed by riots. what is the other way? Salvation Army is too far away.

But crops to Fuel? you mean car fuel? then we cook the car.

oceanvu2
Senior Member

since 2007-02-24

Posts 1066
Santa Monica, California, USA

2 posted 2007-11-30 11:49 PM

Tom Mark --  You burn the car for fuel and eat the driver!

John, I suspecting that you are setting up a hypothetical but plausible situation.  Yes, when the price of producing corn doubles and the price of tortillas, for example, doubles as a consequence, their are and will be more worldwide riots over foodstuffs.  But the problem is not yet the diversion of corn, beans, yams, potatoes, cassava, of whatever to a fuel making process.  I don't think it is going to go there, but what do I know?

On the other hand, there are some real here and now sustenance crop issues.

Since the question is hypothetical I'll offer up an example which is true in fact but not in the details.  That is, it happened, but not exactly this way.

In 1982, the US Department of Agriculture in assistance to to the country of Tchad, gave a large grant to the AG School at Colorado State University to develop a strain of beans, the Tchad subsistence crop, which was more productive during drought conditions.

After five years of work, the Ag researchers at CSU came up with a strain of the Tchadian bean which was twice as productive as the original bean in stressed conditions.

Was this of any benefit?  No.  The original Tchad bean was deep mahogany colored with black spots. The CSU hybrid was light brown with darker brown spots.

The peoples in Tchad preferred to kill each other in order to acquire more land to grow less productive beans of the preferred color.  And so they did and do.

Similarly, certain religious sects in India refuse to kill the rats which consume about 30 per cent of their stored grain.  They prefer to watch people starve to death.

Food cropland converted to fuel cropland is still pretty low on the list of starvation related insanities.

Best, Jim

Huan Yi
Member Ascendant

since 2004-10-12

Posts 6688
Waukegan

3 posted 2007-12-01 07:20 PM

.
http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/02/02/the-story-you-didnt-read-mexicos-tortilla-ri ots/

.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6319093.stm
.

TomMark
Member Elite

since 2007-07-27

Posts 2133
LA,CA

4 posted 2007-12-01 07:49 PM

Thank you John, for the link.

So, it is the cheap corn from US that is reduced to export to the poor of Mexico.

Since Illinois is one of the big corn field so you must have seen cars zooming around the corn field lately.

have nice evening, sir Huan!

oceanvu2
Senior Member

since 2007-02-24

Posts 1066
Santa Monica, California, USA

5 posted 2007-12-02 06:37 AM

Thank you again for the links.  The first article is rambling nonsense.

The second artice seems to be an accurate depiction of an event, 75,000 people protesting the rise of tortilla prices. It ehds with a questionable politically motivated pronouncement by a politician.

My own dubious pronouncement:  The acreage needed to produce enough corn in Mexico for home consumption and EXPORT of corn in excess of home need exists.  The WILL of land owners to increase existing  new production or undertake new production may not be there, because there isn't much money to be made at it without significant government subsidies as in the US.  Ah, the glories of the "free" market economics!

I stand blindfolded, cigarette between lips, ready to be shot for expressing a contrarian OPINION

Jim

Huan Yi
Member Ascendant

since 2004-10-12

Posts 6688
Waukegan

6 posted 2007-12-07 07:06 PM

.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316024,00.html

.

TomMark
Member Elite

since 2007-07-27

Posts 2133
LA,CA

7 posted 2007-12-07 07:17 PM

I don't like to read news from fox.

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