Australian government report highlights Australian capabilities in global food crisis
The National Food Plan green paper released by Australian agriculture minister Senator Joe Ludwig earlier this week foreshadows a major role for Australia in meeting global food shortfalls.
Australia’s production of total agricultural and fisheries and food products in 2010–11 was valued at AU$40.7 billion, of which AU$27.1 billion was exported. Australia ranked 16th biggest world food exporter, but this value is understated because the bulk of Australian food exports is currently in commodity form.
Australia’s proposed new National Food Plan recognises a shift in Australia’s major food-buying customers towards Asia where food demand is expected to double over the next 40 years with the predominance of China as the major importer.
Australian Government research bureau ABARES projects that world food demand will be 77% higher in 2050 than in 2007.
World food prices in the last decade have tripled according to statistics released by the United Nations.
National Food Plan mentions that while Australia has a self-sufficient food supply, approximately one billion people are undernourished globally. “Measures to improve global food security contribute to social and political stability, and facilitate global economic growth. It is therefore in Australia’s national interest to help improve global food security,” the Plan notes.
However, notwithstanding the predictions and capabilities of Australia to meet much of the world’s food deficiency, suppliers will generally only sell to those who offer the best prices, such as China and the Gulf States.
The plan acknowledged that Australia’s efforts to aid global food security are best deployed in ongoing initiatives to enhance agricultural productivity and food production capacity in developing countries.
Let’s me understand how our benevolent government is going to feed the world. 1. Sell our land to countries with big populations so they can feed their own first. China’s ownership of dairy farms in WA already means fresh milk needs to be supplied from the eastern states to feed WA families because the WA Chinese owned milk goes to China.. Do we really think the food they grow in the Ord if they are allowed to buy it will benefit Australia. 2. Sign free Trade Agreements with any country who wants to sell to us at prices subsidised by their governments, and with quality control standards not the same as expected of our farmers, and many of which put tariffs on our exports. 3. Use GM foods which are controlled by four global companies who put the PR out about how good they are, when Europe and the UK have banned them because they are smarter than us, and the African countries which have GM and whose increased productivity the science is based had GM foisted on them. 4. Discourage our farmers from forming cooperatives because they have to be competitive and productive (but it is ok for unions to represent the workers). 5. Oversee the sale of all but one major food commodity be beyond the farm gate so farmers are price takers not price makers. 6. Do nothing about out labelling laws to let people know where their food is really coming from. And we are doing this to our own people!!