關注社會:美國應叫停生物燃料生產

The worst drought for 50 years is inflicting huge damage on the US maize crop, with serious consequences for the overall international food supply.

美國玉米作物正受到50年來最嚴重旱情的巨大破壞，使國際糧食總體供應情況受到了重大影響。

The situation reminds us that even the most advanced agricultural systems are subject to the vagaries of the weather, leading to volatility in supplies and prices not just on domestic markets but also internationally. Climate change and extreme weather events will further complicate the picture.

當前形勢提醒我們，即使是最發達的農業體系也無法擺脫天氣無常的影響，這不僅會導致國內市場供給和價格波動，還會波及國際市場。氣候變化和極端天氣現象更使情況雪上加霜。

US maize production had been expected to increase to record levels this year. That view will prove optimistic. Much of the reduced crop will be claimed by biofuel production in line with US federal mandates, leaving even less for food and feed markets. The August US Department of Agriculture estimates, announced today, will give a more precise idea for just how much the maize crop is reduced. Few people are expecting good news.

人們原本預料，今年美國玉米產量將打破歷史最高紀錄。事實證明這種觀點過於樂觀了。根據聯邦法令，歉收的玉米中，相當大一部分將被用於生產生物燃料，因而進入糧食和飼料市場的玉米就更少了。

Maize prices have already gone higher than their 2008 and 2011 peaks, increasing by 23 per cent during July alone. Wheat prices have followed maize prices upwards. Repercussions are already being felt in the US livestock sector.

近期玉米價格已經超過了2008年和2011年的峯值，單是7月份就上漲了23%。而小麥價格則追隨玉米價格上漲。美國畜牧業已經感受到了價格上漲的衝擊。

Unsurprisingly, the media has started talking about the possibility of a food crisis. Whether that happens depends not only on how long the drought lasts and how much damage it does to crops but on how far its impact spreads to other markets, whether there are further supply shocks and how countries react to the price movements.

媒體已經開始談論出現糧食危機的可能性，這一點都不令人驚訝。是否會發生糧食危機不僅取決於旱情持續時間有多長、對農作物的傷害有多大，也取決於其影響向其他市場擴散的程度，以及是否會有後續供給衝擊、各國如何應對價格波動。

In 2007-08 governments tended to react in a disorganised and erratic manner, which often accentuated global price rises, as was the case with the imposition of export restraints. Often the measures were not even effective in meeting the objective of stabilising domestic prices, as they often led to panic buying and hoarding.

2007-08年，各國政府的反應無序混亂，這往往加劇了國際價格上漲，其效果如同實施出口限制措施一樣。但這些措施通常會引發搶購和囤積行爲，達不到有效穩定國內價格的目標。

Given all this, governments should be cautious, especially considering that high prices are not necessarily negative. Attractive producer prices will be needed in the coming months to entice producers to embark on a much needed increase of crop cultivation, especially in the southern hemisphere.

考慮到上述種種，政府應該謹慎行事，尤其是高價並不一定產生負面效果。未來幾個月，只有生產者價格足夠誘人，才能吸引人們擴大種植——這是目前亟需的——尤其是在南半球。

Some governments will be called to take a number of steps to alleviate the impact of the situation on the poorest consumers, for example through the targeted distribution of food at subsidised prices, increased reliance on non-commodities crops such as roots, tubers, and beans, and assisting small producers to get better seeds and other basic inputs. Over the longer term, strategies to increase local production and self-sufficiency should be implemented.

我們將呼籲一些國家的政府採取多項措施，緩解當前局勢對最窮消費者的衝擊，例如以補貼價格定向分配糧食，增加對根莖、塊莖和豆類等非大宗商品類作物的依賴，以及幫助小規模種植者取得更優質的種子和其他基本的投入品。從長遠來看，應當採取增加當地產量、提高自給自足水平的策略。

Fortunately rice supplies in 2012 are plentiful and rice prices stable, but they could also be driven higher by increasing prices of other cereals. Rice market stocks were also not problematic in 2007-08 but prices nevertheless increased dramatically. A lack of transparency and unco-ordinated unilateral actions by importing and exporting countries and media coverage all contributed to creating panic.

幸運的是，2012年大米供應充足，價格穩定，但米價也可能因爲其他穀類價格的上漲而走高。2007-08年，大米市場並不短缺，但價格卻出現大幅上漲。透明度不高、進口國與出口國未經協調的單邊行動，以及媒體的報道，都產生了催生恐慌的效果。

With world prices of cereals rising, the competition between the food, feed and fuel sectors for crops such as maize, sugar and oilseeds is likely to intensify. One way to alleviate some of the tension would be to lower or temporarily suspend the mandates on biofuels. At the moment, the renewable energy production in the US is reported to have reached 15.2bn gallons in 2012, for which it used the equivalent of some 121.9m tonnes or about 40 per cent of US maize production. An immediate, temporary suspension of that mandate would give some respite to the market and allow more of the crop to be channelled towards food and feed uses.

隨着全球穀物價格攀升，糧食、飼料和燃料行業對玉米、糖和油籽等作物的爭奪可能升級。暫時停止關於生物燃料的法令或者降低其執行力度，是緩解部分緊張的一個辦法。目前，2012年美國這一可再生能源的產量據報道已達到152億加侖，消耗的玉米約爲1.219億噸，佔到美國玉米總產量的40%。立即暫停執行上述聯邦法令，將爲市場提供一定的喘息空間，讓更多的玉米流向糧食和飼料用途。

The US drought leaves global markets highly vulnerable to any further supply side shocks. While the current situation is precarious and could deteriorate further if unfavourable weather conditions persist, it is not a crisis yet. Countries and the UN are better equipped than in 2007-08 to face high food prices, with the introduction of its Agricultural Market Information System, which and promote co-ordination of policy responses.

在經受了美國旱情的影響之後，全球市場已無力再承受供應方面任何的進一步衝擊。儘管當前形勢不確定，而且如果惡劣的天氣狀況持續的話，形勢可能還會惡化，但目前尚未出現危機。與2007-08年相比，目前各國與聯合國(UN)更有把握應對高糧價，這是因爲聯合國啓動了能夠促進各國政策反應協調水平的農產品市場信息系統(Agricultural Market Information System)。

However, risks are high and the wrong responses to the current situation could create it. It is vitally important that any unilateral policy reactions from countries, whether importers or exporters, do not further destabilise the situation.

然而，風險仍然很高，在應對當前局勢過程中，如果方法不當也可能釀成危機。至關重要的是，無論是出口國還是進口國，任何單方面的政策反應都應避免加劇局勢的不穩定。

The writer is the director-general of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN

本文作者爲聯合國糧農組織(Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN)總幹事