国家地理 粮食危机搅动世界（在线收听）

It's being called the world's worst food crisis since the 1970s. Around the globe, food prices have risen about 40% in the last year, sparking protests and violence in at least 14 countries, and pushing the problem to center stage at the United Nations. The rapidly escalating crisis of food availability around the world has reached emergency proportions. Economists blame the runaway prices on an imbalance between the world's supply of food and a recent rise in demand. Demand has been growing rapidly as a result of rapid income growth in many developing countries, especially as you know, in China, in India, and elsewhere in Asia.

这是20世纪70年代以来全球范围内最严重的粮食危机了。全球范围内，仅去年，粮食价格就上涨了近40%，这引发了至少14个国家的抗议和暴力事件，促使该问题成为联合国的中心议题。全球范围内可用粮食的危机迅速升温已经达到了紧急的程度。经济学家认为，物价飙升是因为粮食供应无法满足最近激增的需求。很多发展中国家，比如中国、印度等亚洲国家，其收入快速增长，这导致需求迅速增长。

Even as the world is eating more, some farmers in the west have turned to growing corn or sugar cane or something other than food to produce fuel. This year, as much as a quarter of the US corn crop will go to ethanol plants reducing the land available to grow food. Grain has also become increasingly valuable on the global market, partly because droughts around the world, especially in Australia, have led to poor harvests.

虽然现在全球的粮食需求量上升，但西方的一些农民已经从种植粮食转到玉米或甘蔗等庄稼了来供能了。今年，美国1/4的玉米将送往酿酒厂使用，减少了可种植庄稼的土地面积。粮食在全球市场上的价值不断升高，其部分原因是全球多地发生了旱灾，导致颗粒无收。

Other grain-producing countries, such as Argentina and Ukraine have cut back grain exports in a bid to control inflation at home. The result in spikes and cost of food has sparked violent protests in the Caribbean, Africa and Asia. In recent months, Egypt was rocked by two days of riots over high food prices and low wages. Demonstrators took to the streets in Peru, and crowds looted in Somalia. In Haiti, violent protests claimed several lives and cost Haitian Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis his job. In Vietnam panic shoppers flocked to markets to stock up on rice which rose 100% over a 48-hour period.

还有一些产量国，比如阿根廷和乌克兰，也削减了粮食出口量，目的是抑制本国通胀。粮食价格和成本飙升导致加勒比、非洲和亚洲出现了许多暴力抗议事件。最近几个月以来，埃及发生了为期2天的暴动，起因就是高昂的粮食价格和入不敷出的工资。秘鲁的抗议者走上街头，索马里也有大批人群将街道洗劫一空。海地发生的多起暴力抗议事件导致数人死亡，并使海地总理雅克引咎辞职。越南惊慌失措的顾客们抢着屯米，在短短48小时的时间里使价格翻倍。

Local consumers saw people lining up to buy rice in other countries on TV, so they got in a panic. But Vietnam produces rice. It is impossible for our country to have a rice shortage problem. Hardest-hit by the food crisis are the world's poor. People in developing countries spend up to 70% of their income on food. So rising prices can quickly lead to hunger. But even in wealthy countries, consumers are feeling pinched.

当地的消费者在电视上看到其他国家的人排队屯大米，就感到了恐慌。但越南产大米，我们的国家不太可能发生大米紧缺的问题。受粮食危机影响最为严重的当属穷人了。发展中国家的很多人要将多达70%的工资花在购买粮食上。所以物价上涨会导致饥荒。但即便是发达国家，消费者还是感觉捉襟见肘。

In the US, many shoppers are clipping coupons and cutting back on luxury items. US food prices in 2008 are forecast to rise about double the increases of recent years. Experts expect world food prices to rise even further. But even when supply and demand find a new equilibrium, few expect prices to drop much, if any, suggesting that more expensive food is here to stay.

美国的很多消费者开始使用优惠券，也减少在奢侈品上的支出。据预测，美国2008年的粮食价格将是近年来上涨幅度的两倍。有专家预测，世界粮食价格会进一步上涨。但即便供给达到平衡，大家也不认为物价会下降，就算降，也降不了多少。因为价格更高的粮食还没有销售一空。