Hoarding Nations Drive Food Costs Ever Higher

By KEITH BRADSHER and ANDREW MARTIN
Published: June 30, 2008

BANGKOK β€” At least 29 countries have sharply curbed food exports in recent months, to ensure that their own people have enough to eat, at affordable prices.

When it comes to rice, India, Vietnam, China and 11 other countries have limited or banned exports. Fifteen countries, including Pakistan and Bolivia, have capped or halted wheat exports. More than a dozen have limited corn exports. Kazakhstan has restricted exports of sunflower seeds.

The restrictions are making it harder for impoverished importing countries to afford the food they need. The export limits are forcing some of the most vulnerable people, those who rely on relief agencies, to go hungry.

β€œIt’s obvious that these export restrictions fuel the fire of price increases,β€