X-Message-Number: 22537
From: "Mark Plus" <>
Subject: World Facing 4th Consecutive Grain Harvest Shortfall
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 09:01:05 -0700

For the Baghdad Bobs who assert that the environmental and resource problems 
aren't happening:



http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release.asp?objid=D1D1364B000000F7B00180ADDA9BC8E1

World Facing 4th Consecutive Grain Harvest Shortfall

From Earth Policy Institute
Wednesday, September 17, 2003

by Lester R. Brown

This year's world grain harvest is falling short of consumption by 93 
million tons, dropping world grain stocks to the lowest level in 30 years. 
As rising temperatures and falling water tables hamstring farmers' efforts 
to expand production, prices of wheat and rice are turning upward.

For the first time, the grain harvest has fallen short of consumption four 
years in a row. In 2000, the shortfall was a modest 16 million tons; in 2001 
it was 27 million tons; and in 2002 a record-smashing 96 million tons. In 
its September 11 crop report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 
reported that this year's shrunken harvest of only 1,818 million tons is 
falling short of estimated consumption of 1,911 million tons by a 
near-record 93 million tons. (See data 
http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/Update28_data.htm.)

Agricultural leaders are now looking to next year's crop with fingers 
crossed. If 2004 brings another large shortfall comparable to this year or 
last year, there could be chaos in world grain markets by this time next 
year as more than 100 grain-importing countries scramble for scarce 
exportable supplies.

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