The world is about to face a food crisis again.

There have been warnings about the possibility of a repeat of the 2007-2008 food crisis in the world, when there was severe drought in the US and the Black Sea region, little rain in India and increasing hunger in the Sahel region of Africa, with the inevitable consequence that agricultural prices will continue to rise sharply.

The consequences of this year’s unfavourable weather conditions will be poor harvests, especially for corn in the US and soybeans in Russia, said Mr Pinta, an official of the French Farmers’ Federation (FNSEA). Wheat and rice prices have almost doubled, while corn and soybean prices have also risen. This is putting strong pressure on agricultural prices.

Somali refugees line up to receive food aid in Mogadishu. (Source: AFP/VNA)

In India, all eyes are on food inflation, with rainfall in mid-August 15.2% below average, and Asian rice prices are expected to rise 10% in the coming months as supplies tighten, said Samiran Chakraborty, regional head of research at Standard Chartered Bank.

Indian Food Minister Kuruppasserry Varkey Thomas recently stressed in Parliament that the country needs to be prepared to deal with rising prices of essential commodities, due to poor harvest prospects due to unfavourable weather conditions.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has cut its forecast for global rice production this year, from 732 million tonnes in its previous forecast to 725 million tonnes.

Japanese meteorologists warn that the world appears to be feeling the onset of the El Nino weather phenomenon, which involves a natural warming effect in the Western Pacific Ocean and is expected to last until winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

In the US, farms are suffering the worst drought since the 1950s and 48 states just had their hottest July on record. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts that the country's corn production could fall to a six-year low, putting pressure on corn prices, which have risen 40% this June.

US commodities analyst and president of AgResource, Dan Basse, said he was hoping the Australian harvest would help ease food shortages.

Jean-Rene Buisson, president of the French National Association of Food Industries (Ania), said that all products based on cereals, including meat, will be affected by rising agricultural prices. This may not happen as early as September this year, but next year it will be certain.

In China, food prices are considered a politically sensitive issue, accounting for up to a third of the average consumer's monthly income.

The Financial Times (FT) reported that concerns about the US harvest have forced senior officials from the G20 and the United Nations to hold an emergency meeting to consider the issue, scheduled for August 27, in order to reach a consensus to avoid a repeat of the chaos and tension over food prices in 2007-2008.

FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva of Brazil noted major concerns such as hoarding or export restrictions by food-producing countries, along with buyer confusion. Another important issue to consider is the balance between the use of pulses as a direct source of food and their role as animal feed or for biofuel production.

He has called on the US to suspend biofuel production programs to ease pressure on food resources.

Meanwhile, UNICEF said Africa's Sahel is a chronically food-deficient region where the number of malnourished children is estimated to have risen to a new high of 1.5 million, as cholera and locusts pose new threats. Meanwhile, Australia's World Vision said that up to 18 million people are currently in need of food assistance in Niger, Mali, Chad, Mauritania and Senegal./.

According to VNA - NT