SINGAPORE — Is Asia on the edge of another food supply crisis that will stoke inflation, protection and political unrest?Some recent developments suggest that it is. Many Asian countries — including the biggest emerging economies China, India and Indonesia — are battling to curb soaring prices of some food items.
In Asia, bad weather, rising affluence, increasing demand particularly for grain-intensive meat, and under- investment in agriculture, have all contributed to food price inflation. Low interest rates may also be playing a part, as investors use cheap money to trade in farm and energy commodities, driving prices higher. Full story
