India Limits Rice Exports to Boost Local Stocks

印度减少大米出口以保证国内供应

India has taken steps to drastically limit rice exports in a bid to cool prices and ensure sufficient food stocks for its more than one billion people. India is battling inflation and a spike in food prices.

　

印度政府大幅度减少大米出口，以求缓解国内粮价上涨并保证印度超过十亿人口的粮食供应。此外，印度也希望此举有助于对抗通货膨胀。

The Indian trade ministry has steeply raised the minimum prices at which all except the most expensive grades of rice can be exported.

　

印度商务部大幅提高除了最昂贵等级外所有大米的最低出口价格。

The price of rice, a staple in many Asian diets, has nearly doubled in international markets during the past three months.

　

大米是很多亚洲居民的主食。在过去3个月里，国际市场上的大米价格上涨了将近一倍。

Farm analyst Devender Sharma, with the New Delhi-based Forum for Biotechnology and Food Security, says looming rice shortages in the world have prompted the government to virtually block exports.

　

总部设在新德里的生物技术和食品安全论坛的农业分析师迪凡德.沙尔马说，国际市场面临的大米短缺前景使得印度政府基本上停止了出口。

He says the government wants to boost local supplies in order to stabilize rising prices in the domestic market.

　

他说，印度政府希望增加国内大米供应，以求稳定国内市场的粮食价格。

"I think the message is very obvious, because if you look at the tightening of rice position globally, Vietnam has banned exports and Thailand has imposed restrictions," he said. "India knows very well if at this juncture it allows rice exports to go, there is a clamor for rice from many developing countries. So India has ensured that its own domestic supplies are maintained."

　

沙尔马说：“我想，这个信息是很明确的，因为现在国际大米市场供应出现紧张。越南禁止了大米出口，泰国也已经采取了一些限制措施。印度政府很清楚，如果允许大米任意出口的话，很多发展中国家的需求是非常大的。所以，印度需要首先保证国内供应。”

India is the world's second-largest producer of rice and a major rice exporter.

　

印度的大米产量居世界第二。同时，印度也是主要大米出口国。

But in keeping with a worldwide trend, India too is coping with a steep hike in prices of staples such as wheat, rice and lentils. Inflation last week climbed to nearly six-point-seven percent - its highest level in the past year. Spiraling food prices are the main culprit.

　

但是，由于受到国际市场的影响，印度目前也面临着小麦、大米和豆类等主要粮食价格急剧上涨的问题。上个星期，印度的通货膨胀率攀升到6.7%。这是过去几年来的最高水平。印度粮价上涨是通胀的主要原因。

That has prompted pledges from the government that it will do all it can to stem the rise. The government has already banned the export of cooking oil, and cut some food import taxes to contain prices.

　

面对通胀威胁，印度政府誓言要尽其所能制止涨价。印度已经宣布暂停食用油出口，同时削减了部分食品的进口税。

Food prices are a politically sensitive issue in India, where poor rural and urban masses make up more than two-thirds of the country's one billion plus population. The government faces elections next year, and is concerned that runaway food prices could anger voters.

　

在印度，贫困的城乡人口占全国10多亿人口的三分之二以上，因此，粮食价格是一个敏感的政治问题。明年印度将举行大选，粮价问题可能会激怒选民，因此政府对此格外关注。

Other South Asian countries are also facing a problem. Neighboring Bangladesh faces a massive hike in prices of rice after a cyclone last August wiped out half its rice harvest.

　

其他南亚国家目前也面临相似问题。印度的邻国孟加拉国在去年8月飓风摧毁了大约一半粮食收成后，现在也陷入米价飞涨的困境。

Agencies like the Food and Agriculture Organization have warned that food prices will continue to climb steeply in the coming year.

　

包括联合国粮农组织在内的一些国际机构警告说，粮食价格将在未来的一年里持续上涨。