Food crisis coming? What's wrong about it? It could be good

[Wakate]

I've read a few articles explaining that a food crisis is coming, I want to tell you something about it. There will be no food crisis for me.
Price of pasta, price of cooking oil, rice or meat will increase 20%? 30%?

That's all right. I don't care much. I can handle it, just like most people in developed countries. We don't spend much on food, increasing that budget by a third is perfectly fine.

The problem will be with the poor countries, but I wonder: is it a problem, or a solution?

There were 100 millions people living in Africa in 1900. Now, there are over 1,500 millions people there. I know that some people live a in a fantasy world thinking that there will be food, jobs, modern housing and all creature comforts for every human, but that won't happen. We live in a finite world, and the population just cannot grow without limit. Number one rule of the world has always been the survival of the fittest...

I have heard about something like this before but it is still uncertain when that will be. It happens in the time of covid and it almost looks like everyone is going to die but now, everyone is back on their feet. The price of food had been skyrocketing without limit and the government is not doing anything about it on looking for a better alternative for inflation. It will be worsen in the third world countries that are still fighting with huge corruption where the percentage of poor masses are increasing on a daily basis

[countryfree]

I've been eating out at lunch. Guess what, the restaurants were absolutely crowded. We went to an average one, but the one next to it was - I suppose - very famous, as there were people waiting, I mean standing outside, waiting to get a seat to be served. Maybe that's a prelude to a food crisis. People must wait in line to eat, but everybody seemed happy, and I hadn't seen anyone complaining about the prices. One meal is about €25 per person. Prices haven't changed much since last year. There was more police in the streets, though. Not sure why.

Maybe it's different in Africa, or India, but I have yet to see any sign of a crisis in Europe. If there's one, it will be for drivers, as everybody's complaining about the price of gas, but there's still plenty of traffic.

[n0ne]

I have heard about something like this before but it is still uncertain when that will be. It happens in the time of covid and it almost looks like everyone is going to die but now, everyone is back on their feet. The price of food had been skyrocketing without limit and the government is not doing anything about it on looking for a better alternative for inflation. It will be worsen in the third world countries that are still fighting with huge corruption where the percentage of poor masses are increasing on a daily basis

It looks like European countries are mainly facing the increase in the food shortage compared to the Asian countries. This is much due to the Ukraine war. The inflation over Europe have been recorded high above 8% and the Central Banks are struggling to balance and eliminate the recession. Even without the food and energy crisis the inflation is recorded to be 3.5% to 3.8% and the same have impacted the consumers. This means the price change on the consumer end have reached 39%

[Cookdata]

The large number of agricultural land that has turned into settlements and industries makes food more expensive, in my country more than 30% of agricultural land has changed function and now many imports of food, fruit and vegetable needs, of course this is a complicated problem that must be addressed immediately because now food has higher economic value.

There used to be a time in my place where every citizen was forced to farm, you must have farm land/garden in your backyard. This has stylishly make some people commercial Farmers but after the change of government, so many people abandoned the system while some continued.
There is an increasing demand for food while the supply is depreciating and the increased of inflation is making things be coming unbearable, even the greedy farmers with products don't want to bring out there goods for sale now because they believe the price at some points in the future will double before the end of the season. Small supply and big demand system is killing modernization, we should all go back and farm, it doesn't stop you from your job, not necessary must be something huge, we will see some changes with this.

[pooya87]

There was more police in the streets, though. Not sure why.

The more I read your posts the more convinced I am that you are underage.
There are there because over the past couple of months there has been a lot of protests around Europe. In France for example after the election last month there were mass protests around the country, they killed a dozen people and it stopped. Same in UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Slovakia, Ireland, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Hungary, Romania... These are the ones I could find on the internet and they are mainly about fuel and transport costs and some of them extended to rising food cost.

[passwordnow]

This is another event in the world that will teach us a lot of things. First the pandemic then this food crisis and haven't mentioned yet the direct impact that people are experiencing from those countries living in the war. If someone is telling us that this won't affect them, then that's good for you folks if you can still continue to live comfortably but we should have the sympathy for those that will have the most impact and effect from this upcoming crisis. I am starting to see the news of lessened supply that's resulting the high demand and high prices of products like wheat which comes from those affected by the war.

[be.open]

Sorry, but every time when visit stores and see shelves full with food, employees running there and there to replenish shelves supplies, see pallets with food behind stock doors, I cant understand what is this "food crisis" everyone is talking about. Some might think that I am stupid, naive, too young and never saw real life and etc, but I dont see starving people around me. What we complaint about lately? Wheat? Can we eat other food instead? Or wheat is a direct or indirect ingredient of every other food? I think no.

It seems that up to 90% of wheat is used in animal husbandry and only 10% is used to make bread, flour, cereals and spaghetti. The production of pork and chicken is highly dependent on wheat, which is the basis of the diet in many regions of the world.

[Wind_FURY]

I've read a few articles explaining that a food crisis is coming, I want to tell you something about it. There will be no food crisis for me.
Price of pasta, price of cooking oil, rice or meat will increase 20%? 30%?

That's all right. I don't care much. I can handle it, just like most people in developed countries. We don't spend much on food, increasing that budget by a third is perfectly fine.

Laughable post. I believe you don't truly understand its direct connection with the whole economy in general. Higher prices of food, a basic need, will also mean higher prices of "many other things". Higher prices of "many other things", including fuel/energy prices will also mean less savings for you, AND the company you're working under will have higher monthly expenditures, which will also mean job lay-offs.

[Smartprofit]

The large number of agricultural land that has turned into settlements and industries makes food more expensive, in my country more than 30% of agricultural land has changed function and now many imports of food, fruit and vegetable needs, of course this is a complicated problem that must be addressed immediately because now food has higher economic value.

There used to be a time in my place where every citizen was forced to farm, you must have farm land/garden in your backyard. This has stylishly make some people commercial Farmers but after the change of government, so many people abandoned the system while some continued.
There is an increasing demand for food while the supply is depreciating and the increased of inflation is making things be coming unbearable, even the greedy farmers with products don't want to bring out there goods for sale now because they believe the price at some points in the future will double before the end of the season. Small supply and big demand system is killing modernization, we should all go back and farm, it doesn't stop you from your job, not necessary must be something huge, we will see some changes with this.

In my opinion, the independent production of agricultural products is not able to solve the world problem of food shortages. 

Yes, you can start a subsidiary farm and raise chickens and pigs....  This will provide you with meat and eggs. 

However, the cost of producing these eggs and meat will be higher than that of professional livestock breeders.  And this is natural.  The fixed costs of production remain unchanged. 

And a professional livestock breeder has a much larger sales market than an individual producer.

[RealMalatesta]

this is almost the same as the conditions in the country or area that I live in now.
a lot of land that used to be used for agriculture is now being converted into skyscraper buildings and some shops or factories there which make this even more difficult for the farmers.
Previously, in the area where I live, the majority of us were farmers, but now due to a large-scale conversion, some people have swerved to adjust to the current situation and the farmers in my area can now be counted on the fingers.

This is 100% the same thing for my nation as well and it would be fine as well if they knew what they were doing. Imagine a hangar, like one plane levels of big hangar, that hangar could feed an entire town, did you know that? None of the resources we lack are things that we can't have more, it is just that people do not produce more and capitalists do not want us to realize that quickly.

Like Elon talked about we need just a corner of Utah levels of space to provide electricity to ALL of USA, and yet we are not doing it, why? Or we do not need a whole field for farming, we could do hydroponics and use much smaller land and produce much more product and even more times as well since we decide on the weather there so instead of 2 times a year, you get 4. Why not do that? Because people just don't, they don't and that is the only reason ever.

[Kakmakr]

I really do not appreciate OP's stance on the food crisis, because I work in a third world country on contract and I have experienced first hand what poverty and hunger are doing to developing children and old people.

I wonder if OP have skipped 3 meals in his live ... or if he goes through the day on one meal that consists mostly of rice or wheat.  Let's face it... the food crisis will eventually become a problem for the rich 1st world countries ..... in the form of humanitarian support... and this will be funded by taxes or donations. (So, prepare yourself for higher taxes to give social support to the people that are not as fortunate as you) 

[countryfree]

There was more police in the streets, though. Not sure why.

The more I read your posts the more convinced I am that you are underage.
There are there because over the past couple of months there has been a lot of protests around Europe. In France for example after the election last month there were mass protests around the country, they killed a dozen people and it stopped. Same in UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Slovakia, Ireland, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Hungary, Romania... These are the ones I could find on the internet and they are mainly about fuel and transport costs and some of them extended to rising food cost.

Very stupid guess about my age, because you could have checked I registered on this board more than 9 years ago... Actually, I think I'm one of the oldest here, but I'm not the subject. I've been through 6 countries of the list you gave, this Spring (yes, I travel a lot), and this is what I've noticed. In one supermarket in France, there was no more pasta, but I went to another one, and everything was normal. In one supermarket in Italy, there was a sign telling not to buy more than 3 bottles of oil. That's about it.

The medias are always over reacting, just like markets, and people get scared, but there's no reason to panic, yet. At least in rich countries.

[teosanru]

I've read a few articles explaining that a food crisis is coming, I want to tell you something about it. There will be no food crisis for me.
Price of pasta, price of cooking oil, rice or meat will increase 20%? 30%?

That's all right. I don't care much. I can handle it, just like most people in developed countries. We don't spend much on food, increasing that budget by a third is perfectly fine.

The problem will be with the poor countries, but I wonder: is it a problem, or a solution?

There were 100 millions people living in Africa in 1900. Now, there are over 1,500 millions people there. I know that some people live a in a fantasy world thinking that there will be food, jobs, modern housing and all creature comforts for every human, but that won't happen. We live in a finite world, and the population just cannot grow without limit. Number one rule of the world has always been the survival of the fittest...

Very true rule of the world has always been the survival of the fittest. Since ages this has been the truth of nature in this modern age this thing has just got a new definition that's it, now survival is by earning money even in difficult times to support your family or maybe taking advantage of the difficult times in order to become rich. It's true that crisis will definitely come there is no way crisis can be stopped it's always the humans that have to become worthy to face any type of crisis.

[be.open]

Like Elon talked about we need just a corner of Utah levels of space to provide electricity to ALL of USA, and yet we are not doing it, why? Or we do not need a whole field for farming, we could do hydroponics and use much smaller land and produce much more product and even more times as well since we decide on the weather there so instead of 2 times a year, you get 4. Why not do that? Because people just don't, they don't and that is the only reason ever.

Agriculture has already made a huge technological leap in recent decades, although this is not advertised too much for the layman. There is a lot of progress in ultra-bright LEDs and agricultural robotics, but two factors are key - the massive transition to high-yielding hybrid seeds and the massive use of inorganic fertilizers. The disadvantage of hybrid varieties is that they are not stable and seeds have to be bought every year in seed banks. The disadvantage of chemical fertilizers is that now they are very expensive due to expensive gas and sanctions restrictions on Russia and Belarus. The transition to organic fertilizers is possible, but the yield will decrease markedly. The transition to resistant varieties that do not degenerate in the next generation is also possible, but the yield will again decrease markedly. Markedly - means at times, and this is a problem on the scale of humanity.

[Wind_FURY]

There was more police in the streets, though. Not sure why.

The more I read your posts the more convinced I am that you are underage.
There are there because over the past couple of months there has been a lot of protests around Europe. In France for example after the election last month there were mass protests around the country, they killed a dozen people and it stopped. Same in UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Slovakia, Ireland, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Hungary, Romania... These are the ones I could find on the internet and they are mainly about fuel and transport costs and some of them extended to rising food cost.

Very stupid guess about my age, because you could have checked I registered on this board more than 9 years ago... Actually, I think I'm one of the oldest here, but I'm not the subject. I've been through 6 countries of the list you gave, this Spring (yes, I travel a lot), and this is what I've noticed. In one supermarket in France, there was no more pasta, but I went to another one, and everything was normal. In one supermarket in Italy, there was a sign telling not to buy more than 3 bottles of oil. That's about it.

The medias are always over reacting, just like markets, and people get scared, but there's no reason to panic, yet. At least in rich countries.

It's not about being in "rich countries". That's another laughable post. You can lose your job while living in a "rich country" with a higher cost of living, no? It's not at that phase of the recession yet, nor is it even considered a recession. But it will go to that point in time that you might be "OK", but your neighbor isn't and WILL be in panic because he/she is being evicted, with no savings, and all bills.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

Zzzzzz. Survival of the fittest my a*s. If only this is truly about survival of the fittest, I'm 99% sure majority of the people in your developed country would perish much much earlier than many in the African continent.

If there's somebody living in a fantasy world here, it is you. You who think that it is perfectly all right for poor people to starve to death while you indulge in your pasta. You who think that the African people don't deserve a good life as much you do. You who think that in the name of a finite world the poor could die while the rich could continue to enjoy life.

I had to laugh at your reaction, because it reminds me of me--but I'm not lolling at the substance of what you're saying, because I agree with your opinions.  Maybe not the one about developing nations perishing first (but that could be true), but certainly about Africans deserving a good life just as much as the rest of the world--they do; all nations do.

Hell, I'm even fantasizing about moving to Zimbabwe to build a signature campaign HQ castle for Christ's sake, so you know I'm in Africa's corner.  The only problem with famine hitting Africa harder than the rest of the world would be some of the governments.  IIRC, it was those governments that facilitated the famine that hit parts of Africa in the 1980s (remember USA For Africa?  Probably not, but look it up.), not necessarily the people being unable to farm.

But that's always the case, and it'd be true for the US, Europe, and other places as well should there be a food crisis.  People would be at their government's mercy if they tried to produce their own food.  I'm hoping this is all just unrealistic fear, but I'm not saying it never could or won't happen in the near future.

[Darker45]

Zzzzzz. Survival of the fittest my a*s. If only this is truly about survival of the fittest, I'm 99% sure majority of the people in your developed country would perish much much earlier than many in the African continent.

If there's somebody living in a fantasy world here, it is you. You who think that it is perfectly all right for poor people to starve to death while you indulge in your pasta. You who think that the African people don't deserve a good life as much you do. You who think that in the name of a finite world the poor could die while the rich could continue to enjoy life.

I had to laugh at your reaction, because it reminds me of me--but I'm not lolling at the substance of what you're saying, because I agree with your opinions.  Maybe not the one about developing nations perishing first (but that could be true), but certainly about Africans deserving a good life just as much as the rest of the world--they do; all nations do.

I was only arguing along the line of a truly survival of the fittest situation. If a global food crisis -- which OP talked about -- resulting to extreme hunger descends equally upon everyone, many of the people in Africa would definitely live a lot longer than many of the people in the most developed countries. My belief is that the hunger tolerance of people who have known hunger all their lives is way higher than those who have only known abundance. Not to mention the kind and quality of food and water, level of comfort, and the overall living condition.

Hell, I'm even fantasizing about moving to Zimbabwe to build a signature campaign HQ castle for Christ's sake, so you know I'm in Africa's corner.  The only problem with famine hitting Africa harder than the rest of the world would be some of the governments.  IIRC, it was those governments that facilitated the famine that hit parts of Africa in the 1980s (remember USA For Africa?  Probably not, but look it up.), not necessarily the people being unable to farm.

It would really be interesting to follow that fantasy of yours translated into reality. Perhaps listing that at the top of your bucket list is a good start. I'm sure you'd live like a don there. Worry not about famine, I believe you can get out pretty quickly anytime. If not, your country would definitely look for you and get you out.

USA for Africa as in We are the World?

But that's always the case, and it'd be true for the US, Europe, and other places as well should there be a food crisis.  People would be at their government's mercy if they tried to produce their own food.  I'm hoping this is all just unrealistic fear, but I'm not saying it never could or won't happen in the near future.

I'm not sure about this, but I surmise somebody or a group of people must be benefiting a lot from all these food crises and hunger and poverty. Regardless, self-sustenance is always a beautiful goal.

[cabron]

There was more police in the streets, though. Not sure why.

The more I read your posts the more convinced I am that you are underage.
There are there because over the past couple of months there has been a lot of protests around Europe. In France for example after the election last month there were mass protests around the country, they killed a dozen people and it stopped. Same in UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Slovakia, Ireland, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Hungary, Romania... These are the ones I could find on the internet and they are mainly about fuel and transport costs and some of them extended to rising food cost.

Very stupid guess about my age, because you could have checked I registered on this board more than 9 years ago... Actually, I think I'm one of the oldest here, but I'm not the subject. I've been through 6 countries of the list you gave, this Spring (yes, I travel a lot), and this is what I've noticed. In one supermarket in France, there was no more pasta, but I went to another one, and everything was normal. In one supermarket in Italy, there was a sign telling not to buy more than 3 bottles of oil. That's about it.

The medias are always over reacting, just like markets, and people get scared, but there's no reason to panic, yet. At least in rich countries.

Its best to prepare still because I felt it already that McDonald doesn't sell french fries anymore. It could either be the supply chain which they are rerouting them  or held on the port storage only. The media report something of scarcity making countries panic to find other sources. That's how they always are.


Some countries are prepared for famine though. Africans I think have already found away to grow crops on their barren lands. Same with Egypt that already flourished their fish production through the fish ponds and cages they build.  The countries that will worry are the ones relying on imports.

[Wong Gendheng]

I think the problem because of the food crisis is that more and more land has been turned into settlements and the government only focuses on industry and never cares about farmers, as happened in my country where the government removed subsidies for fertilizers and seed development so that crop yields continued to decline and now become an importer of foodstuffs such as soybeans, rice and so on.

[cabron]

I think the problem because of the food crisis is that more and more land has been turned into settlements and the government only focuses on industry and never cares about farmers, as happened in my country where the government removed subsidies for fertilizers and seed development so that crop yields continued to decline and now become an importer of foodstuffs such as soybeans, rice and so on.

That's an issue in your country, blame your politicians for they agreed to lobbyist and housing development.

Meanwhile, Russia UN ambassador walks out of security council meeting And seem the reason was that their country was blamed for this food crisis.

So there really is a crisis but this is in Europe only where the grains from Ukraine was being held. Its really unclear why the grains can't be shipped but then they are having a war. Ships can't sail due to sanctions afaik. What else should they do, if Ukraine is in that position, they may also get the Russians hungry as they did deprived Russia with water in the past.