WELL THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM IN THE WHEAT GROWING COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD. IT IS CALLED UG99 OR YELLOW WHEAT RUST. THIS RUST FOUND DORMANT IN UGANDA IN 1998 THEN CONFIRMED TO BE ACTIVE IN 1999 HAS TRAVELED THROUGHOUT AFRICA AND HAS MOVED NORTH INTO CHINA AND INDIA. THESE ARE TWO OF THE LARGEST WHEAT PRODUCING COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.
THIS RUST HAS SHOWN ITSELF TO OVERCOME THE RUST RESISTANT WHEAT DEVELOPED BY NORMAN BORLAUG AND THE FORD FOUNDATION IN THE EARLY 1950'S.
IN SOME OF THE LARGEST BREADBASKET AREAS OF THE WORLD IT IS ESTIMATED THAT UP TO 40% OF THE WHEAT CROPS WILL BE LOST THIS YEAR. IN A WORLD WHERE, ACCORDING TO THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN THE DRY AREAS, WHEAT PROVIDES 40% OF THE CALORIES AND 20% OF THE PROTEIN.
THERE ARE SOME 800 MILLION PEOPLE WHO ARE CRITICALLY AND CHRONICALLY UNDERNOURISHED AND A GRAIN SHORTAGE COULD BE CATASTROPHIC.
ACCORDING TO REAL TRUTH.ORG, "THE GUARDIAN" PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE CONCERNING THE SAUDI ARABIANS FOLLOWING THE 1970'S OIL EMBARGO, THE SAUDIS REALIZED THAT THEIR DESERT SANDS DID NOT PROVIDE A LOT OF FOOD AND THUS THEY WERE DEPENDANT ON IMPORTATION OF GRAINS, THUS VULNERABLE TO A GRAIN EMBARGO.
THE SAUDIS USED OIL DRILLING TECHNIQUES TO DRILL DEEP WATER WELLS TO ALLOW FOR THE PRODUCTION OF IRRIGATED GRAINS. BETWEEN 2007 AND 2010 THE SAUDI GRAIN PRODUCTION HAD DROPPED BY MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS, DUE TO THE IRREPLACEABLE LOSS OF AQUIFER.
ACCORDING TO "THE GUARDIAN" SAUDI ARABIA COULD BE PRODUCING THEIR LAST GRAIN CROP IN 2012. LOOKS TO ME THAT AMERICA WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO STUDY THIS SITUATION AND SELL WHEAT TO THE SAUDIS FOR $120.00 A BUSHEL AND TRANSPORT IT IN AMERICAN VESSELS. HEY, THE SAUDIS HAVE 30 MILLION PEOPLE TO FEED. THE SAME COULD GO FOR THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, DUBAI, BAHRAIN, KUWAIT AND QATAR.
DON'T FORGET TO PLAN AHEAD FOR YOURSELVES!
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