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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."
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RatingBush has played his role perfectly well in order to tarnish the (once good) image of USA before the whole world. How can the people of United States allow such an alien creature to represent their glorious country in such a messy way? I wonder. Indeed the people of US are sleeping.
I find it infuriating that the U.S. is blaming Indians for the food shortage. I do not think our 'eating habits' is the problem. The U.S. along with the EU is responsible for the massive bankruptcy of agricultural industries in lower developed countries. This is due to their extensive subsidies (which they spend billions on per day), which have wiped out competition in nations that are enduring this food crisis.
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.
4000 US soldiers were killed so far and 58000 wounded in Iraq. The actual Iraqi muslims killed is 1.5 lakh but the accelerated death due to war is 7lakh. To get the feeling of its impact we should look at Gulf War 1991 that lasted less than 2 months, killed 148 US soldiers, and 467 injured out of the deployed 694550 soldiers. Over the past 17 years the annual cost of compensation, pension medical expense for soldiers is about $4.3 Billion and already some $50Billion had spend on this account. The price paid for Iraq invasion is entirely by borrowing. We should add the 7300 wounded in Afghanistan to the list. On the 1991Gulf War basis US expense on the Iraq invasion could be $3000 Billion a figure that exceed the cost of Vietnam War or Korean War or WWI. The dollar is now weak and the cost of oil has broken all recods. 35 Billion litres of ethnol production from agri products impacts on the availability of food from US to other nations. Input cost being high has a direct impact on world food prices, as US has a share of 30.2% of total wheat exports itself.
Bush is blaming India for skyrocketing food prices is like the Indian politicians method of blaming others for their own faults. Congress party blames all others for the christian and muslim terrorism that is going on India, which is the end result of its minority policies since independence. Bush is a failed politician, who failed to prevent 911. IAEA asked for another six months to verify the claim of Weapons of Mass destruction in Iraq. But Bush rushed in to Iraq and some 1.5 lakh Iraqi muslims were killed, made 2 lakh Iraqis as refugees all over the world and displaced another 2lakhs to Jordan and Syria. He created more muslim terrorists in his fight against terror. Contrary to the general view I think that Saddam had WMD or some nuclear bombs which he shifted out. This is because; the Iraqi Ambassodor to India spent very long time to understand the Druva Reactor model that was displayed in India International Trade Fair in 1979, IITF79 and was asking lot of unusual question .
Upto the 1950's Americans did not waste food and donated their surplus liberally to the needy around the world. Today they have become the greatest food wasters of all time and producers of genetically modified junk food. The rest of the world will do well to ban/boycott all food products from America so that Americans can feed on their own junk food at steady prices.
Dear EditorThere is a solution to the problem high lighted in the article below.I wish you could organise a conference, I will bring eminent academics top outline a non violent economic model, which will ensure organic steady growth abolish poverty with in five years.Are you committed to abolishing poverty I do NOT think so MULTINATIONALS ARE MAKING BILLIONS OFF THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIShttp://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/multinationals-make-billions-in-profit-out-of-growing-global-food-crisis-820855.html
President Bush says " Middle class Indians are demanding better nutrition and better food". Are only Americans privileged to have high quality nutrition?? This is really outrageous and our politicians and media should react in a way that these morons learn to think before they speak.
Mr. Bush, India has the second biggest population in the world, much largest than yours, and still produces enough to support its population and also to export a substantial quantity!! Please do not forget that this easy to blame policy is not correct and there are so many things that we can blame you for. Our population, however rich or not, ate properly and sufficiently even before we started achieving this economic progress. We strongly request you to set your facts right before making such irresponsible comments (this one really bothered me).
The increase in food prices is in my opinion is bcos of the high energy cost . The energy cost's rise is mainly due to the american misadventures in the middle east to corner all the oil in the world and make countries with no alternatives to buy at higher cost. The needless war of the self styled global police state is the main reason rather than blaming Indians for eating more It is another Josephine!!! It is shame Mr. Bush to think of such silly argument This is the best of Bushism He has no original thinking but to say yeah! to Rice!!!
Why we are bothered about what Bush says about the cause of price rise? Our Government from PM to FM, all have attributed the cause of soaring price in India to Internationally effect. Although it is not true, the basic reason for Price rise in India is due to wrong food distribution system, redtapism, corruption and hoardings. Bush is like a "Dog in manger policy" so no need to bother what he says.
Food Prices
C Rice said that India and China are responsible for higher food prices but Bush never dared to mention China and said that India is responsible for higher food prices. Bush might have collected his data from the sales figures of McDonald in India or from Pespsico. PepsiCo is selling GM variety of DORITOS corn chip merrily in India probably after bribing our Environment Ministries. These corn chips have bacterial genes for more pest tolerance and Indians are just like pests. Govt labs are known to falsify rape and murder to simple suicide as was happened in the case of christian sister Abaya rape and murder by a Bishop, and her vagina samples contained the Bishops semen. The govt lab incharge blanked lab report and stated that there was no semen at all. So the Bishop is now a citizen of Rome and serves the Pope instead of inside the jail like Nalini. Bush who depend on the PepsiCo and McDonald sales figures is out of touch with reality and it was like his statement on WMD of Iraq is an insult on all Indians.
That's enough!!! India should fire back Mr. Bush and his idiotic administration with loud and clear message that India is a self-reliance country when it comes to food grains. Its US and its allies who are responsible for the world price rises, terrorism, wars, invasions, global warming...Now they are not able to clean up their own mess and blaming the Indian population's food requirements.. Wakeup Indian Government, how much more you can be supressed by the green dollar, this is really an virtual attack on the sovernity of our beloved country. I hope if Indira Gandhi would be alive today and would have fired back to stupid western leader with some guts..JAI HIND
Here is a cutting from Sunday Independent, now it clear Bush is protecting US businesses "Monsanto last month reported that its net income for the three months up to the end of February this year had more than doubled over the same period in 2007, from $543m (£275m) to $1.12bn. Its profits increased from $1.44bn to $2.22bn.". Bush is now indulging in criminality against humans. Also US is well known to burn extra food to keep prices high.
Instead of advising the obese americans to eat less, Bush is blaming people of India for food shortage, majority of whom can hardly afford to eat just enough food to satisfy their hunger.
Bush is known for his stupid remarks. India can not be blamed for high prices because India exports food. The high prices are due to European Union and USA to supplement the high prices they have to pay for oil imports. There are mountains of food in EU and food stored in USA is for next 25 years. My advice to Indians is eat as good and nourishing food as you can, give a kick to US fast food chains because all the money is going to US which in turn blaming you for too much. Why he doesn't ask his obbesse people to cut down on their food consumption ?
Change in nature of food because of Americanisation is also a factor. Traditional food which is simple is not consumed, and people go for new generation food like burgers and pizzas. The influence of the west even in food habits has resulted increase in demand
What can be more stupid than this? But what else do you expect from a man as stupid as him. Have you seen the portions of food in the US, have you seen the consequent wastage or obesity as a result. Compare this picture to India where portions continue to be the same and the bulk of the population still is unable to afford themselve one square meal a day. What Mr. Bush says here is the same humbug as his policies on Iraq and WMD. I would not be surprised if he gathers (mis) information via CIA and makes a case against India at the UN to be delivered by Mrs. Rice.Surprisingly, I dont see much uproar from the Indian Politicians or MEA either.Food prices are going up, IMO, due to weak US economy, rising fuel prices, falling dollar and the mortgage market meltdown. Basically, all ills created by BUSH admin
Bush is well known for stupidity. Just collect all the left overs and ship that USA so he can distribute to his ugly obbesse children. Americans specialise in electing stupids like Indians elect criminals.
President Bush's prescription to check price rise(by eating less) is ridiculous
President of USA, though political and USA focussed, doesn't speak gibberish. The neo rich in India are so harsh towards the poor and the environment that its becoming a shame upon humanity. How can one eat in a 5 star restaurant peacefully and throw away food when someone outside is going hungry? How can we kill environment just because its outside the 4 walls of our house? I just hope we wouldn't need a foreigner to tell us how inhuman our neo-rich people are.
Why you are blaming rich ? Who is ruling India but do not give two hoots to "aam aadmi" ? Are you saying Indian politicians eat two dry rotis with daal ? No use getting jealus of rich, next you will say rich should build roads so more money is released for poor politicians ?
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