Oil, disease, the price of bread
By Patrick Kelley
Originally published 02:37 p.m., April 17, 2008
Updated 02:37 p.m., April 17, 2008
Anyone who’s bought a loaf of bread in a supermarket lately knows that food prices are rising. A loaf that a year ago might have been selling for $2.75 now sells for $3.50.
The same thing has happened to meat, milk, fruits, vegetables — name a food group and prices have gone up.
What is driving the prices up?
We already know that part of the increases can be blamed on the rising cost of oil. As the price of gasoline and diesel fuel rises, so does the cost of moving food to market.
Food is moving much farther to market than it used to. Do you like apples? Washington state is half a continent away. Want raspberries out of season? Those are grown in Chile and other countries south of the equator. Any kind of seafood must come from a coast.
The price of oil has driven a massive effort to cut reliance on petroleum by increasing the use of ethanol and biodiesel fuel. Most of the ethanol and biodiesel produced is distilled from what would normally be food crops — corn and soybeans. Every bushel of corn that is used to make ethanol reduces the amount of corn available to feed people and drives up the prices of food.
But oil prices and biofuels are only part of the problem. The world’s food supply is also under siege by plant diseases and climate problems.
Speaking Wednesday at a food aid meeting in Kansas City, Mo., U.S. Agriculture Secretary Edward Schafer said the world’s reserves of wheat are at a 30-year low and U.S. reserves are at their lowest level in 60 years.
The trade in food is global and wheat crops in Africa and Asia are being ruined by the spread of African stem rust.
If the wind-borne spores of the disease reach the United States, Schafer said, it could be a disaster. More than 75 percent of wheat acreage is planted with varieties that are vulnerable to the rust.
Add to disease the effects of droughts, flood and freezes on crops around the world and it becomes clear that maintaining humanity’s food supply is becoming an increasingly delicate balancing act.
Yes, food prices are going up in Emporia. Food prices are rising everywhere and may not go down again soon.
This might be a good time to plant that garden.
dml (anonymous) says...
Another thing that is causing the rise in food prices is the cost of Fertilizer. Last summer it was up $200/ton from the year before and already this spring it is up another $200/ton from that!
April 17, 2008 at 11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Here's an interesting question albeit gloomy. How long before I have to stand guard over my vegetable garden all night long? Or set booby traps?
On the other hand, those who own oil leases are making the big bucks right now, and we are all hostage to speculation. I guess we can't blame them for making hay while the sun shines, but it's raining hard on the rest of us.
April 18, 2008 at 7:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
alfalfa (anonymous) says...
The cost of food is a much bigger issue in the world press than it is in the US press. Between the rising energy costs, the housing slump, and rising food costs, the next President will have an interesting time coping with our problems.
April 18, 2008 at 9:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wildcatnurse (anonymous) says...
Food, gas, living in general is more expensive because the worth of the dollar is down. Why doesn't someone mention the fact that we are in a recession? Our country is in trouble, very big trouble....vote Ron Paul.
April 18, 2008 at 1:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )