ECONOMICS REPORT - Behind the Price of Rice
Thu, 1 May 2008
This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
经济报道－粮食涨价的成因
2008年5月1日
这是VOA特别英语的经济报道。
Poor families in some countries spend as much as eighty percent of their money on food. They have watched helplessly as rising prices in recent months have created the worst food crisis in more than thirty years. The United Nations World Food Program says high food prices could push one hundred million people into hunger.
在某些国家，穷困家庭在食品方面的开支高达其收入的80%。最近飞涨的粮价造成了30多年来最严重的粮食危机，而这些穷困家庭只能眼睁睁地观望。联合国世界粮食计划署称，高粮价可使1亿人面临饥饿。
Half the world's people depend on rice as a main part of their diet. Yet the price has tripled in the past year. Inflated costs for fuel and fertilizer have played a part.
世界一半人口以大米为主食，但是大米价格在去年增长了二倍；因通货膨胀而增加的燃料和化肥成本也是原因之一。
Economist Nathan Childs at the United States Agriculture Department says another reason is the falling value of the dollar. This has hurt the ability of some nations to buy food.
联合国农业部的经济学家Nathan Childs说，另一个原因是美元的贬值。美元贬值伤害了某些国家购买食品的能力。
But he says the main reason is export limits in some rice-growing nations. This means less rice on the world market.
但是，他说，主要原因是某些产大米国的出口限制，即世界市场上大米（供应）减少。
Nathan Childs is an expert on rice markets. He notes that the harvest for the latest growing season was the largest on record. But India, Vietnam and others have restricted exports to keep prices down at home and protect supplies.
Nathan Childs是大米市场方面的专家。他说，最近一季的收成是历史新高。但是，印度、越南和其它国家限制了大米出口，从而使国内粮价维持低位，并保护供应。
Thailand's agriculture minister says his country will never restrict rice exports. He told the Reuters news agency Thursday that Thailand has enough supplies to meet demand at home and for export.
泰国农业部部长说，泰国将不会限制大米出口。他星期四告诉路透社新闻局，泰国有充足的供应，可满足国内及出口的需求。
Thailand is the world's largest rice exporter. Recent signs of an increase in supplies have helped ease record prices for Thai rice. Prices rose last week above one thousand dollars a ton.
泰国是世界上最大的大米出口国。最近的迹象表明供应增长，这有助于平抑泰国大米的历史高价。上周，大米价格越过了1000美元/吨。
Vietnam, the second biggest exporter, has banned exports until June. And Vietnamese officials have now warned that non-food traders who buy rice for speculation will be severely punished.
越南是第二大出口国，在6月份之前禁止出口。另外，越南官员已经提出警告说，非食品交易商购买大米投机，将会受到严厉惩罚。
Speculators try to predict future price movements. They take greater risks than average investors. Experts say speculation is a necessary part of market activity.
投机商试图预测大米的未来走势。他们比一般投资人承担更高的风险。专家称，投机是市场行为的一部分。
But the head of the U.N. Environment Program blames it for the high food prices. "We have enough food on this planet today to feed everyone," Achim Steiner told the Associated Press.
但是，联合国环境计划署署长阿齐姆·施泰纳将食品高价归咎于投机。“我们地球上有充足的食品供给。” 阿齐姆·施泰纳告诉美联社说。
Earlier, a member of the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission rejected the idea that speculators are the main cause. Bart Chilton blamed reduced harvests and grain supplies and the falling value of the dollar.
早些时候，联合国商品期货交易委员会委员巴特·切尔顿不同意投机是主要原因的说法。巴特·切尔顿将其归咎于收成降低、粮食供应减少以及美元贬值。
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called heads of major international agencies to a meeting this week in the Swiss capital, Bern. He says high food prices could harm world trade, economic growth, social progress and political security.
本周，联合国秘书长潘基文召集了主要国际组织的领导在瑞士首都伯恩开会。他说，食品高价损害世界贸易、经济增长、社会进步以及政治安全。
And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. I'm Steve Ember.
这是由Mario Ritter编写的、VOA特别英语的经济报道。我是Steve Ember。
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