| China is responsible for global food crisis? | |
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| May 5, 2008 02:26 |   |
 | Source: Biofuels Digest. A change in Chinese meat consumption habits since 1995 is diverting eight billion bushels of grain per year to livestock feed and could empty global grain stocks by September 2010, according to a new study from Biofuels Digest, in an expanded version. The Study, “Meat vs Fuel: Grain use in the U.S. and China, 1995-2008” concluded that, even if the U.S. ethanol industry were shut down tomorrow, rising Chinese demand for meat, and the ensuing livestock feed demand, will empty global grain stocks as soon as 2013. The report offers gloomy news for policymakers who have hoped to address global food vs. fuel concerns by restraining U.S. ethanol demand. “It’s not food, it’s not fuel, it’s China,” said Jim Lane, editor of Biofuels Digest and author of the report. The study found that the US produced 349 million tones of corn last year, up from 192 million tones in 1995, but the 157 million tonne increase has not kept pace with rising demand. The US ethanol industry, which has been criticized as the primary cause of grain shortages and rising prices, increased its grain usage by 31 million tonnes during the 12 year period. By contrast, livestock grain demand to supply Chinese meat consumption increased by 199 million tonnes. “Given that the US population has grown 15 percent in the past 13 years, the 82 percent increase in US corn production left plenty for people, plenty for livestock, and plenty for ethanol.” said Lane. “The bad news is that the grain was Shanghaied, leaving us with a fuel crisis and a food crisis. The good news is that it’s easier to find a steak in Beijing.” The study resolves several questions that had been unanswered in the fuel vs. fuel debate by focusing on rising demand from China as well as the U.S. The report identified that rice, rather than corn or wheat, suffered the largest price increases over the 12-year period, despite the fact that rice is not used for biofuel production. The study also ties falling global grain stocks to corresponding increases in Chinese consumption. The study determined that China’s meat consumption since 1995 has increased by 112 percent per person to 53 kilograms of meat, per person per year. |
| May 5, 2008 02:30 | #1 |
| “If the Chinese people had consumed the same amount of meat, per person, in 2007 as in 1995, there would have been enough grain left over to support 927 million hungry people with enough grain for an entire year,” said Lane. “The growth rate is so intense that, even if the US ethanol industry were completely shut down tomorrow, increased Chinese demand would soak up the excess grain by 2011.” The study tracks the meteoric growth in Chinese meat consumption since 1983, a trend spotted early by Worldwatch Institute founder Lester Brown in his prescient 1994 article “Who Will Feed China?”. In 1995, Chinese meat consumption was 25 kilograms per person, and reaching 31 kilograms by 1999, 50 kilograms by 2000, and is 53 kilograms per person today. “Even with all the growth, Chinese meat consumption is still 45 percent less than the average consumption in the US,” Lane warned. “An additional 277 million tonnes of grain would be needed to support China at parity with the US. That would take 68 million acres to grow. There isn’t that kind of arable land available anywhere is the world, whether we grow grains for renewable energy or not.” After reading this study, what do you think of it? Is China the only one who should be responsible for the food crisis at the moment? |
| May 5, 2008 02:47 | #2 |
| Just a lame excuse by the biofuel and auto industry to get the blame off their shoulder(s) and put it elsewhere,( i.e) a diversion tactic. |
| May 5, 2008 06:44 | #3 |
| When 1/6th of the worlds population substantially change their eating habits, there will be repercussions. To wit, a 112% increase in meat consumption in just over a decade. So, IMHO, this is a not a diversionary tactic on the part of the fuel or auto industry; they are just telling it like it is. |
| May 5, 2008 13:06 | #4 |
| There is no question the changing diet of the Chinese people has an impact. This one comment clearly shows the true colors of Jim Lane, the author of the report: >>>there would have been enough grain left over to support 927 million hungry people with enough grain for an entire year So because they ate meat the Chinese are to blame for 927 million hungry people starving? Such BS! And he's writing for Biofuels Digest. Biofuels use grain (and other things) to make fuel for vehicles. Simply put: only a moron would use human food to feed their automobiles. Forgive me but this sort of thing makes me NUTS!!! |
| May 5, 2008 20:22 | #5 |
| "And he's writing for Biofuels Digest. Biofuels use grain (and other things) to make fuel for vehicles. Simply put: only a moron would use human food to feed their automobiles." Applause for you, Griz. According to the study, all Chinese people should be vegetarians. In this way, the global food crisis might be solved. Really absurd! |
| May 6, 2008 21:22 | #6 |
| According to FT, P Chidambaram, the Indian finance minister, condemned the conversion of crops into biofuel and said that was “the single biggest reason why we are facing this [food] crisis”when he attended the Asian Development Bank's annual meeting. He made his comments after Gorge Bush said India should be reponsible for the rising food prices. Mr Chidambaram also said:"To put it mildly, [converting food crops to biofuels] is foolish, to put it strongly it is a crime against humanity." Actually, the US is a leading promoter of corn-based ethanol. |
| May 8, 2008 12:06 | #7 |
| <<Applause for you, Griz. According to the study, all Chinese people should be vegetarians. In this way, the global food crisis might be solved. Really absurd!>> The world's fattest nation, home to McDonald's, should go vegetarian. =) Like all other nations, China does have its share of responsibilties. This share can be sizable because of it's strong economy and huge population. |
| May 8, 2008 20:52 | #8 |
| "Like all other nations, China does have its share of responsibilties. This share can be sizable because of it's strong economy and huge population." China has its share of responsibilities, but not the only one who should be responsible. Why did US prefer to pass the buck to the developing countries? It also has its share of responsibilities for food crisis and global warming. |
| May 8, 2008 22:49 | #9 |
| <<<Why did US prefer to pass the buck to the developing countries?>>> Like Griz said, the biofuel propagandists did this. Perhaps most of them are American, but some of them can be Brazilian, Japanese, Singaporean, Antartican, or Martian. I think they just wanted to divert negative publicity away from their business and not start an anti-Chinese campaign. |
| May 9, 2008 21:46 | #10 |
| Interesting! I seldom hear that US condemns its counterparts (the developed countries) for this. Anyway, each country should make its contribution to combat the global food crisis no matter they are developed or developing countries. Since the globalization has connected us together, if one suffers a lot from the food crisis, other countries will be impacted. |
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