Read at : Google Alert - drought
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23589032-2862,00.html
Australian drought has global impact
Sarah Wotherspoon
The effects of Australia’s drought are being felt around the world as a global food shortage is partly blamed on low crop yields.
Record grain prices and a downturn in production yesterday prompted the United Nations World Food Program to describe the crisis as a “silent tsunami” that could affect more than 100 million. Australia is among the top five rice exporters in the world, providing the food staple to millions of people. Farmers in NSW and Victoria are in the final stages of harvesting the smallest rice crop in 80 years. In a good year Australia exports more than 600,000 tonnes of rice, but since 2002 exports have been lower. While developing countries are most at risk, one supermarket in the US this week took the extraordinary step of asking customers to limit their rice purchases.
Rice Growers Association of Australia president Les Gordon said unless winter delivered heavy rains, next season’s crop would also be poor. “Next year, while we would hope something good will happen, it’s certainly not looking like anything to get excited about. There’s a growing sense of dread,” he said.
“This (food shortage) is not going to be easily solved. It’s like a freight train — it will take a long time to pull up.”
Mr Gordon said Australian growers could grow rice quickly with rain. “If the Hume and Dartmouth dams fill, we can be back at full production straight away.”
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