[Raxozanne]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '[')b]IGC forecasts 2006 world wheat production to drop 3% from 2005

LONDON — World wheat production in 2006 is forecast at 595 million tonnes, 20 million less than in 2005, according to the International Grains Council.

For the 2005-06 crop season, the IGC raised its latest estimate of world wheat production by 4 million tonnes to 615 million. The increase followed revisions to the figures for a number of countries, with the biggest rises in Kazakhstan, Canada and Pakistan.

The Council increased wheat consumption in 2005-06 by 2 million tonnes, to 618 million, from the last estimate because of larger feed use in the E.U. and Canada.

[UIUCstudent01]

I hear we make enough food to feed the world. The problem is distribution. Economics really. Trade barriers and all that.

Wheat isn't the only thing that feeds either. What about rice and potatoes? What about other foods? There's substitution for different foods you know. You're going to have to look at total food production or something like that.

Maybe it has something to do with energy prices...

It could just be because population growth in developed countries are relatively stabilized / alot less than China/India/Africa/Mid-East/whereever.

OR! Considering there's alot of bread that goes stale/bad in supermarkets across the United States, that they lowered production because it was an economic waste? (Selling at a discount / giving it away does not earn you profit)

So, no. Not peak wheat.

[Specop_007]

Good news for farmers!

[Ludi]

As mentioned, hunger currently is mainly a distribution/equity/socio-political problem, and not a food shortage problem. Currently. That might change, certainly.

[Tyler_JC]

http://southwestfarmpress.com/mag/farmi ... at_prices/

During the 2004/05 wheat marketing-year, U.S. and world wheat stocks are expected to remain well below average. Thus, wheat prices are expected to average about $3.40 in the 2004/05 marketing-year.

http://sify.com/finance/commodities/ful ... d=14119793

New Delhi/Chennai: Wheat prices have increased to a record high on tight supply, but the Centre is hopeful that the situation will not get out of hand.

If stocks are tight, why are we reducing supply?

These higher prices should be encouraging farmers to increase production, not decrease it.

Granted that farmers don't have total control over production, but if stockpiles are low and prices are high...clearly production is not high enough.

Maybe things will improve next year, maybe not. I don't have a clue. I'm not a farmer! But if wheat production doesn't start increasing soon, prices will keep going up and maybe some people could get kicked out of the market. (AKA starve)

[Ludi]

Low prices force farmers out of business. There are already very few farmers in the US.

[Raxozanne]

I just found a good site with up-to-date worldwide production and consumption reports with tables of the grains:

here

Market prices for maize will probably be pushed upwards in the future as it will be in increasing demand by countries for ethanol production.

As it indicates in the article:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'F')orecast global consumption is increased by 3 million tonnes to 675 million, equal to the 2004-05 record, because of higher demand in Europe, Africa and North America, where heavy feed use and rapidly growing ethanol production are providing a boost.

[Novus]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Raxozanne', '
') What on earth will we feed the extra projected 3 billion humans by 2050? Quick waiter, order up another green revolution!

[frankthetank]

Waste is huge in this country! Every food franchise should have a pen of pigs to feed the scraps to! Flour is dirt cheap. I can buy 10pounds for under 2bucks...thats a few loaves of bread

[The_Virginian]

More Farmland will have to be brought into production, esp. with competition from bio-fuels.

[pip]

Due to drought, 80% of the Texas wheat crop is in poor to very poor condition, including my little 200 acres which I would classify more like non-existant. Looks like we're finally going to get some good prices but have nothing to sell.

Guess I'm going to have to rely on my subsidized crop insurance this year. (thank you, US taxpayer)

[The_Virginian]

The irony.

Better crop next year. (really)

Thanks for the field report.

[Raxozanne]

Usher in Second Green Revolution, suggests Kalam

Am I understanding this article correctly in that Kalam expects to double grain output whilst reducing land cultivated from 170 million hectares to 100 million hectares? Does anyone else think this is a tad overoptimistic in reasoning even with bioengineering?

[UIUCstudent01]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Raxozanne', '[')url=http://www.centralchronicle.com/20060206/0602162.htm]Usher in Second Green Revolution, suggests Kalam[/url]

Am I understanding this article correctly in that Kalam expects to double grain output whilst reducing land cultivated from 170 million hectares to 100 million hectares? Does anyone else think this is a tad overoptimistic in reasoning even with bioengineering?