In full food crisis, Romania could become the third largest corn producer in Europe, if it will double the production this year, according to Reuters estimations.
If last year we couldn't produce more than 3.7 millions tons of corn, in 2008 officials from the Ministry of Agriculture quoted by Reuters seem optimistic, betting on a 9 millions tons production. Sorin Chelmu, general secretary of Agriculture, said that this year around 2 millions hectares were planted, which at a medium production of 4.5 tons off corn per hectare would produce around 9 millions tons, but adding that it's premature to make estimations on the entire production. 9 millions tons is the estimation of the corn production of Romania for 2008 The prices will stay high
The severe drought recorded last year seriously damaged all agricultural crops. The corn production recorded in 2007 was half of the one made in 2006 and the lowest after 1990, according to datas of the National Institute of Statistics. The experts quoted by Reuters are estimating a total corn production of the Eu member states of around 56 millions tons. Europe will register this year a growth of agricultural production valued between 8% and 12%, but with no immediate effect on the food prices. Poor countries will pay 40% more for cereal imports, because the price will remain expensive after the increase of fuel prices.
"The food industry will receive a full blow in the next year from the growing fuel prices", said Stefan Barden, general director of the largest food producer in the UK, Northern Foods, quoted by the on-line edition of "The Times". Rice prices recorded the most accelerated increase, doubling its price in the last four months, compared to January 2007.
The World Bank estimates an increase of the cereal and meat demand in the next 25 years with 50%, respective 85%. The lack of food already led to riots in 37 countries, among which Egypt, Niger, Haiti and Cameroon. According to Hafez Ghanem, general director of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, quoted by "The Guardian", to the 854 millions that already suffer from lack of food will be added, in a relatively short period, other millions. Food crisis, debated at a high level
Next week, the leaders of the most important cereal exporters countries will meet in Rome, in the attempt to find solutions for the food crisis. The summit from the Italian Capital will be the first from a series of high level meetings of the world leaders who are seeing in the food crisis a larger threat to political stability than terrorism.
In June, will take place a meeting of the World Trade Organization which will try to reduce export taxes in order to force a decrease of cereal prices and to allow the farmers from developing countries to sell their products on other markets.
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