Global food prices are up 36% from the same time last year. The World Bank which is the international organization that funds developing nations states that 44 million people have been pushed into extreme poverty due to the jump in food prices. One reason for the sharp increase is the high prices for commodity stock foods (not sure if that's the right term) but basically corn, wheat, soybeans or the crops that the majority of the world depend on. Another reason is of course, the rising price of oil.
Expensive oil, expensive crops such as corn and cereal means more people pushed into hunger, pushed into poverty and food in general will cost more. This means that it will cost more to feed cows, pigs, chickens, etc and by the time it gets to you, the consumer, will be paying more to account for the extra cost. Transportation will cost food companies more so the prices for your fruit and vegetables and chips and candy will cost more as well.
There is a lot that could go wrong in food production (weather, a blight upon crops, etc) and a lot that can influence (such as civil unrest causing concerns over oil) how much it ultimately costs the consumer. But the accessibility of food, the ability to buy your nourishment not just snacks is about power dictated by not just how much you make but really more about where you live. If you live in the so-called inner city area there are few big chain markets and if there are certain foods may cost more partly due to transportation costs. It costs the company more money to move food to your neighborhood. You pay the cost for living where you do. Then again desirable locations have their own drawbacks: high rent means higher prices. What I'm trying to say is if not for the ability to control how your vegetables are grown and the quality of it, try to grow a small vegetable garden to cut back on costs.
Here is the link to the original article on the price increase on food: http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/14/news/international/world_bank_food_prices/index.htm
Expensive oil, expensive crops such as corn and cereal means more people pushed into hunger, pushed into poverty and food in general will cost more. This means that it will cost more to feed cows, pigs, chickens, etc and by the time it gets to you, the consumer, will be paying more to account for the extra cost. Transportation will cost food companies more so the prices for your fruit and vegetables and chips and candy will cost more as well.
There is a lot that could go wrong in food production (weather, a blight upon crops, etc) and a lot that can influence (such as civil unrest causing concerns over oil) how much it ultimately costs the consumer. But the accessibility of food, the ability to buy your nourishment not just snacks is about power dictated by not just how much you make but really more about where you live. If you live in the so-called inner city area there are few big chain markets and if there are certain foods may cost more partly due to transportation costs. It costs the company more money to move food to your neighborhood. You pay the cost for living where you do. Then again desirable locations have their own drawbacks: high rent means higher prices. What I'm trying to say is if not for the ability to control how your vegetables are grown and the quality of it, try to grow a small vegetable garden to cut back on costs.
Here is the link to the original article on the price increase on food: http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/14/news/international/world_bank_food_prices/index.htm
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