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The comments come close on the heels of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's controversial statement that ‘apparent improvement’ in the diets of people in India and China and consequent food export caps is among the causes of the current global food crisis.
At an interactive session on economy in Missouri, Bush argued that there are many factors for the present crisis, only one of which was investment on biofuels like ethanol.
"Worldwide there is increasing demand. There turns out to be prosperity in developing world, which is good. It's going to be good for you because you'll be selling products in the countries, you know, big countries perhaps, and it's hard to sell products into countries that aren't prosperous.
In other words, the more prosperous the world is, the more opportunity there is," the US President said. "It also, however, increases demand. So, for example, just as an interesting thought for you, there are 350 million people in India who are classified as middle class. That's bigger than America. Their middle class is larger than our entire population.
"And when you start getting wealth, you start demanding better nutrition and better food, and so demand is high, and that causes the price to go up," he said.
Bush also listed change in weather patterns and increase in basic costs like that of energy as factors contributing to higher food prices.
"No question that ethanol has had a part of it. But I simply do not subscribe to the notion that it is the main cost driver for your food going up," Bush said.
Several international experts have in recent days held biofuels, until recently cast as a miracle alternative to polluting fossil fuels, for being responsible for usurping arable land and distorting world food prices.
"Actually, the reason why food prices are high now is because, one, energy costs are high, and if you're a farmer, you're going to pass on your cost of energy in the products you sell, otherwise you'd go broke.
"And when you're paying more for your diesel, paying more for your fertiliser because it's got a lot of, you know, natural gas in it, in other words, when your basic costs are going up, so does the cost of food," Bush said.
He said there are two aspects of rising food prices -- its effect on US citizens and the fact that there is a food scarcity in the world.
"We don't have a scarcity issue in America...We got a price issue. Our shelves aren't going empty, it's just costing more money," Bush said. "There is scarcity in the world, and I happen to believe when we find people who can't find food we ought to help them find it," he said adding, "America is by far the most generous nation when it comes to helping the hungry."
"We're an unbelievably compassionate nation," he said. "I think we ought to change our food policy in Africa and other developing countries...buying food directly from farmers as opposed to giving people food. I think we ought to be saying, 'Why don't we help you be able to deal with scarcity by encouraging your farmers to grow and be efficient growers? Otherwise, we're going to be in this cycle forever."
The US does little to help poor countries unconditionally. They even sold the supercomputer to India at a high cost which forced Indians to build their own. There has been many attempts to control Indian farming sector by bioengineered seeds. Trade agreements have prevented India from increasing sugar production...actually thousands of acres of sugarcane fields have been set on fire because the govt could not allow more sugar mills to increase production as a result of the pacts with power West countries.It is common knowledge that Indians are very conservative in their lifestyle and have the habit of saving money. If they are now spending more it is because of the exploitation of the Indian market by the US companies with thier junk products which Indian do not need.I hope US gets a new president who has seen much more of the world than just the backyard of his daddy's ranch.
The truth is we first migrated to their country, then took away their jobs, and now we want to dictate how they must use their resources. If we cant employ our people, why do we produce them? If other countries are better than ours for migrating then shouldnt we be doing something to improve our country rather than making a hue and cry about remarks on issues that we have happily pushed under carpet? This light admonition from Bush and Rice may cost them their political career. And still they have done it for the good of the world. If we do not pay heed to it at least now, we may be heeding towards a famine or an ethnic holocaust. Its time we Indians learnt to control population. We are close to having outstayed our welcome.
Nice, blame everyone take no accountability. So Indians deciding to eat rice caused this? Hmm... i think we have been eating rice for a while, right? A few THOUSAND years now? Gee, this is not a racist statement at all, is it? oh No, absolutely not. it's not RACIST at all.... I'm sure he meant it in a nice way. Thanks. Once again he shows his true colors. NICE. VERY NICE.Unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Before the Afghan war the crude barrel was @12 -19 but it is $118 currently – who is to blame for rising the fuel prices? Is it India who is on the tail of Osama Bin Laden and invading Iraq and creating a havoc in the oily middle east?
India had this population, since long. The real problem is the drastic change in climate, which results in a lowered agricultural production. Indian farmers use the traditional seasonal crops, and the change in climate affects the yeild. Who you going to blame for the climate change?? It didn't happen overnight or in last couple of years... now that europeans and americans( they still haven't done nothing much) trying to cut down gas emmisons and other procedures for reducing the pace of climate change. Well, now in last one decade, India and China have some part in this great human mistake, but the main culprits are the western nations. Mr. Bush, It is better you compare the number of vechiles per person in India and US since 1950's, check how many airports you got, while just comparing the indian midle class with whole american population.
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