BEIJING: The fear of failing to grow enough corn, wheat or rice to feed its people has spurred China into action this year, but Beijing may be doing too little, too late to overcome the powerful forces of urbanization. Just as global grain markets grapple with ultralow stocks and record-high prices, China is battling to stem the destruction of its arable land due to urban sprawl, the growing scarcity of water and the exodus of labor to its booming cities by directing tens of billions of dollars to rural areas.

Out on the American farm, the ducks and pheasants are losing ground. Thousands of farmers are pulling their fields out of the government's biggest conservation program, spurning guaranteed annual payments for a chance to cash in on the boom in wheat, soybeans, corn and other crops. Last fall, they took back as many acres as are in Rhode Island and Delaware combined.

As Prices Rise, Farmers Spurn Conservation By DAVID STREITFELD Published: April 9, 2008 Paul Devlin works at a bakery in Tampa, Fla. The bakery's owner said the price he paid for flour had doubled since October. Thousands of farmers are taking their fields out of the government's biggest conservation program, which pays them not to cultivate. They are spurning guaranteed annual payments for a chance to cash in on the boom in wheat, soybeans, corn and other crops. Last fall, they took back as many acres as are in Rhode Island and Delaware combined.

Rising food prices could spark worldwide unrest and threaten political stability, the UN's top humanitarian official warned yesterday after two days of rioting in Egypt over the doubling of prices of basic foods in a year and protests in other parts of the world.

Govt may cut subsidies to fund rural employment scheme Khawaza Main Uddin The interim government may trim fuel and fertiliser subsidies to make up for the planned enhancement of social protection and balance the next budget, finance officials have hinted. Raising the tax-GDP ratio to 11 from 10.3 now is one of the major targets to increase the revenue earning for meeting the costs of development and welfare activities as well as routine expenditures of the government.

Grains gone wild What's behind the world food crisis? These days you hear a lot about the world financial crisis. But there's another world crisis under way - and it's hurting a lot more people. I'm talking about the food crisis. Over the past few years the prices of wheat, corn, rice and other basic foodstuffs have doubled or tripled, with much of the increase taking place just in the last few months. High food prices dismay even relatively well-off Americans, but they're truly devastating in poor countries, where food often accounts for more than half a family's spending.

The President, Sindh Chamber of Agriculture Syed Qamar-uz-Zaman Shah has called upon the government to initiate concrete measures for rapid growth of agriculture sector by providing maximum incentives to growers. Addressing the members of the executive committee of the chamber here on Sunday, Syed Qamar-uz-Zaman, who is also the President of the Chambers of Agriculture of Pakistan has emphasised the need of granting subsidy on fertilisers, pesticides, electricity and diesel to growers in order to reduce the expanses of crop production.

Food crisis will end with boro harvest: Gen Moeen Bdnews24.com . Tangail The army chief, General Moeen U Ahmed, said on Sunday the ongoing food crisis would end with the boro harvest as cultivation was high this season. Addressing a rally of farmers at Bhuapur upazila in Tangail, the army chief said there was no alternative to boosting agricultural output.

The city is likely to face an acute shortage of milk following the decision taken by all associations of dairy farmers to observe an indefinite strike from Monday evening in protest against the city government's drive to ensure observance of the official rates of milk. The city government has fixed the milk rate at Rs34 per litre at the retail level but the retailers have been charging Rs40-42 per litre in different parts of the city since April 1.

DCs asked to monitor rural job schemes Warned against harassment of farmers in procuring boro rice, disbursing fuel subsidy Mustafizur Rahman The government has ordered the deputy commissioners to make sure that farmers are not harassed or deprived of in the upcoming boro rice procurement drive and disbursement of diesel subsidies for irrigation.

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