FAO voorspelt wereldwijde recordoogst graangewassen

Ik lees hier en daar stukken minder rooskleurige berichten: Voorraden teren al een paar jaar in.

World wheat production in 2006-07 is estimated to be 31 million tonnes lower than in the previous season. Harvesting of northern hemisphere wheat crops is complete, while in the southern hemisphere, harvesting is approaching completion.

In the European Union, the Russian Federation and the United States — three of the world’s top five wheat producing countries — production is estimated to be 6 per cent, 8 per cent and 14 per cent lower respectively than in the previous season.

Verder lees ik op newscientist dat er een roestschimmel op komst is waartegen tarwe nog geen resistentie heeft. In dat artikel wordt overigens ook al gewag gemaakt van interende voorraden.

There is hope: this week scientists are assessing the first Ug99-resistant varieties of wheat that might be used for crops. However, it will take another five to eight years to breed up enough seed to plant all our wheat fields.

The threat couldn't have come at a worse time. Consumption has outstripped production in six of the last seven years, and stocks are at their lowest since 1972. Wheat prices jumped 14 per cent last year.