WORLD SHORTAGE OF RICE
POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS FRIGHTENING The world’s shortage of rice is the most critical of all those which confront the free world, says the Australian “Financial Review.” “Rice is the staple food of nearly all Asiatic people—almost half the world population. Its production has not risen above pre-war levels, though in the last 13 years the number of rice consumers has increased by 20 per cent. “The political implications of this are frightening. When people are hungry they are ripe for Communist propaganda promising them more food. “When the importance of rice in the Asian economy is appreciated, Communist strategy becomes clearer. “Communist activity in and Burma—two of the only three rice exporters in Asia—has seriously interfered with rice production. Other factors are also operating, but the net effect is .that these two countries are now exporting 3,000,000 metric tons a year less than they did before the war.
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Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26967, 17 February 1953, Page 12
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151WORLD SHORTAGE OF RICE Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26967, 17 February 1953, Page 12
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