In article
<wildbilly-5A1743.17484423042008@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
Billy <wildbilly@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> O.K., Way too much fun going on here.
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/23/usa2
>
> Spectre of food rationing hits US
>
> The spectre of food rationing arose in America today as retailers began
> imposing limits on rice and flour sales following bulk purchases by
> customers alarmed by rocketing global prices for staple foods.
>
> Wal-Mart's cash-and-carry division, Sam's Club, announced that it would
> only sell a maximum of four bags of rice per person to prevent supplies
> from running short.
Screw Sam's. The Asian market in Austin has a LOT more rice for a lot
better prices! In fact they have a LOT of healthy, bulk dry goods as
well as some of the more tasty canned goods for lower prices.
I'll clean out the back of my truck and make a trip down there. I
usually freeze or refrigerate bulk rice since I have the space to do so.
>
> Its decision followed s****adic caps placed on purchases of rice and
> flour by certain store managers at a rival bulk chain, Costco, in parts
> of California.
>
> The commodity cost of rice hit an all-time high on the Chicago Board of
> Trade this week and in some stores, retail prices have doubled over the
> course of a few weeks.
>
> Retail experts said there was little evidence of "panic" hoarding by the
> public - but that restaurants and smaller retailers were buying up
> stocks at warehouse wholesalers in the expectation that the cost was
> heading even higher. Shops said Filippino residents in the US were also
> making large purchases to send to relatives in the Philippines, where a
> shortage of supplies is causing concern.
>
> "What you're seeing is people who buy in larger quantities, who have a
> restaurant or a corner store, stocking up because of media re****ts that
> prices could go higher," said Dave Heylen, a spokesman for the
> Californian Grocers' Association.
>
> Since the beginning of the year, rice producing countries including
> China, India, Vietnam and Egypt have imposed limits on ex****ts in order
> to keep prices down at home. This week, a top World Bank official
> predicted that Thailand, the world's largest rice ex****ter, might follow
> in restricting ****pments.
We need to so the same with wheat and corn here. Start using more of it
domestically instead of selling it. Take care of home FIRST!
>
> Restrictions at Sam's Club, which has 580 warehouse stores across the
> US, apply to Jasmine, Basmati and long grain white rices - the type
> typically used for dishes such as curry. The chain said the limits were
> "due to recent supply and demand trends".
>
> At Costco, chief executive James Sinegal said only very large purchases
> would face sanctions: "If a customer came in and said 'I want 10 pallets
> of flour', we'd probably say, 'No we can't give you that. We can give
> you one pallet.'"
>
> The owner of one restaurant in Oakland told a local television station
> that the price of a typical sack of rice had risen from $20 to $40 in a
> matter of weeks. Son Tran of the Le Cheval Vietnamese restaurant said
> his stockpiles were dwindling - and that the price of some vegetables
> had also risen by as much as 50%.
>
> Industry leaders sought to calm fears. Tim Johnson, chief executive of
> the California Rice Commission, said there was no prospect of an overall
> shortage of food - and that stores' supplies were quickly being
> replenished.
>
> "The reality is, at least for the next several years, we've seen a new
> level for what food costs are going to be in the US and probably
> internationally, too," said Johnson, who added that a typical serving of
> rice cost less than 10 cents. "It's still the best deal on your plate."
> ------
>
> Enjoy dinner tonight;-)
And be sure to add beans...
Beans are also very easy and fast to grow. I'm planning on putting in a
bunch and doing only container gardening to save on water.
--
--
Peace! Om
"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a *****."
-- Jack Nicholson
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