Prices and availability of seeds – Food quotes should not run like the Covid -19 vaccine – something that struggles to the poor to find even when the richer is hoarded – India said Wednesday because of voicing concern for ‘an increase that cannot be justified’ in food prices that threaten their stability Of the same poor countries. Union V Minister V Muraleedharan, speaking at a global meeting on food security also defended India which limits wheat exports, saying it will ensure supplies for those who need the most.
A number of low-income people are currently faced with twin challenges from rising costs and difficulties in access to food grains. Even those like India, who have adequate stock, have seen an increase in food prices that cannot be justified. Clearly the hoarding and speculation are working. We cannot let this graduate without being matched, “Muraledharan said at a meeting chaired by US Secretary Antony Blinken and under US Presidential Security Council for May.
The meeting took place a few days after India’s decision to prohibit wheat exports; The decision, said the government, was aimed at controlling retail prices of wheat and wheat flour, which had increased by an average of 14-20 percent last year, driven by deficiencies due to heat waves and war in Ukraine.
The minister said India recognized the surge in global prices had placed “our food security and our neighbors and other vulnerable countries that were at risk” and that “committed to ensuring such adverse effects … effectively mitigated and vulnerable to sudden (price ) change “.
It is necessary for all of us to adequately appreciate the importance of equality, affordability, and accessibility when coming to the grains of food … we have seen, with our great costs, how these principles are ignored in the COVID-19 vaccine case. Open should not be an argument to perpetuate injustice and promote discrimination, “Muraledharan emphasized.
India is the second largest wheat producer in the world but traditionally not the main exporting because most of the plants are sold in the domestic market. However, after Ukraine exports plummeted due to Russian invasion and when plants in other countries face natural disasters, the world views India.
Before the ban, India aims to send a record of 10 million tons of wheat this year.
Last week this was stopped in the interests of national security, after that the price of global wheat was jumping over a record of 6 percent. The overall price has increased by more than 60 percent behind the war in Ukraine.
At the UN meeting, Muraledharan said: “Let me explain that these steps allow for exports based on approval to countries that are required to meet their food security demands … Such policies will ensure that we will really respond Most need. ”
Muraledharan also highlighted the ‘track record’ of the country in helping partners in distress, saying that even during the worst days from Pandemi India was never found to want. India, for example, sent 10,000 tons of rice and wheat to Myanmar and continued to help Sri Lanka, he said.
Ahead of the meeting, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US Ambassador to the United Nations, said: “We have seen Indian decision reports. We encourage countries not to limit exports because we think every export restriction will worsen the lack of food … we hope them It could, because they heard the worries filed by other countries, they would reconsider that position. ”
Meanwhile, on Wednesday the Head of the United Nations Antonio Gutteres stressed that the level of global hunger was in ‘new high’ and urged actions to fight this problem. “These scary numbers are closely related to conflict, as a cause, and consequences,” he said. “If we don’t feed people, we feed conflict”.