亞洲糧食價格持續上漲

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says rising food prices in Asia are hurting the poor but have yet to reach a crisis level. The U.N. body says if the price of oil continues to increase the region’s food prices will follow suit.

聯合國糧農組織說，亞洲糧食價格上漲讓貧困人口受到嚴重衝擊，但還沒有形成糧食危機。如果石油價格繼續上漲，亞洲的糧食價格也會進一步上漲。

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says in Asia food prices have been affected by rising costs but not as dramatically as in other regions.

The FAO says the retail price of rice, Asia’s major staple, rose in Bangladesh by 33 percent from last year and in China by 23 percent.

稻米是亞洲國家的主食。

But the region’s major rice producers, Thailand and Vietnam, are having good harvests that are expected to keep prices steady overall.

但亞洲地區主要產量國泰國和越南眼下的稻米收成不錯，預計會讓整個亞洲地區的稻米價格趨於穩定。

The FAO's representative for the Asia-Pacific region, Hiroyuki Konuma, says rising food costs in Asia are mainly affecting the region’s poor.

聯合國糧農組織駐亞太地區代表小沼宏之(Hiroyuki Konuma)說，亞洲地區的貧困人口是糧價上漲的主要受害人。

"Many of poor people who are so poor, they spend 50 to 70 percent of their income for food. So, if [the] price increases by 30 percent 40 percent it severely affects their purchasing power for food. And then it results in chronic hunger," Konuma said.

他說：“很多貧困人口是如此貧困，以至於購買糧食要花去他們收入的50%到70%。所以，如果糧價上漲30%到40%，貧困人口購糧就存在嚴重問題，可能因此陷入長久的飢餓狀況。”

Konuma says the region’s rice production is expected to increase by more than two percent this year while wheat production will decline about four percent.

小沼宏之說，亞洲地區的稻米產量今年預計增長2%，小麥產量將下降大約4%。

The FAO says world food prices hit a record high in February as the cost of oil was driven up by political instability in the Middle East and North Africa.

聯合國糧農組織說，中東和北非地區的政治動盪促使油價上漲之後，世界糧食價格今年2月也創下新高。

Despite adequate supplies of rice, some Asian nations appear concerned that rising oil costs could eventually affect food supplies.

一些亞洲國家儘管大米供應充足，但似乎依然擔心油價的持續升高會最終影響到糧食供給。

Reports say Burma in February halted all rice exports.

調查顯示，緬甸今年2月暫停了稻米的出口。

Burma is not a major rice producer but the move indicates concerns that rice prices may rise as transportation costs increase.

緬甸不是稻米的主要生產國，暫停稻米出口顯示，政府擔心油價上漲會擡高運輸價格，導致稻米價格上漲。

Konuma says the FAO is carefully monitoring oil prices for any affects on Asia.

小沼宏之說，聯合國糧農組織正密切關注油價上漲對亞洲地區可能產生的影響。

"It's a bit premature to say, but if the oil price goes up to the level that happened in 2007, 2008, to $140, $150 per barrel, it will seriously affect the production costs of the food," Konuma added.

他說：“現在還爲時過早，但如果油價上漲到每桶140美元到150美元，恢復到2007年和2008年的水平，就會嚴重影響糧食的生產成本。”

Food price increases in 2007 and 2008 led some countries in the region to stockpile food and temporarily ban grain exports.

2007年和2008年度糧食價格上漲導致亞洲一些國家囤積糧食，暫停糧食出口。

The FAO says while stockpiling emergency supplies is understandable, hoarding staples and banning exports only made the situation worse.

聯合國糧農組織說，儘管可以理解增加緊急糧食存儲的必要性，但囤積居奇，禁止出口，只會讓局勢進一步惡化。