Rice, something that most Asian countries consider as a main part of their meal, has joined the ranks of oil as far as shortages and rising outrageous prices in the world today. To most, rice is like bread. In the better off countries like the United States and Europe, you will rarely see rice as their main food carrier.

But for people in the Philippines and Thailand, rice is surely a great need. Not many people would understand why but apparently it originates from tradition. Today, the Philippines is really in a bind. Rice is strangely disappearing and the crops are weirdly disappearing. Worst, parasites called rice hoarders have seen this as an opportunity to make money, stocking up sacks of rice and hiding them and eventually offering them for sale at their commanded prices.

It makes you wonder if the government is indeed doing something about it. Then again, wouldn’t key people in the government have a hand in this? I wouldn’t be surprised. Corruption calling!

“The so-called rice crisis is really an income crisis,” said Rolando Dy, executive director of the food division of the Manila-based University of Asia and the Pacific.

He blamed “under-investment in agriculture and infrastructure, a poor record in eliminating poverty (and) poor infrastructure quality,” for the crisis which has forced thousands of poor Filipinos to line up for hours for subsidized rice.

“We cannot reap what we did not sow. We failed in reducing rural poverty compared to other countries,” like China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, he said.

(Source) The Daily Star

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