halalfocus.net » Agriculture

UAE liberalises rules for GCC companies

salama — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:58:59 +0000

6 February 2012 DUBAI – The UAE on Sunday decided to allow GCC companies to open their branches in the country with the same rights as those enjoyed by national companies in a move aimed at bolstering economic integration among the six-nation group.

The cabinet meeting, chaired by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi, took the decision to accord full parity to GCC companies vis-a-vis their national counterparts in setting up branches in the UAE.

The move is in line with the GCC Summit’s resolution seeking to bolster economic integration within the regional group, and seeks “to consolidate UAE’s status as the foremost member state in complying with the GCC apex body resolutions”, according to Wam.

According to the communique of the 31^st GCC Summit held in Abu Dhabi in 2010, companies owned by citizens of member countries of the group would be allowed to open branches for the same activities across the six-nation bloc. They will enjoy equal treatment everywhere across the GCC.

The cabinet also passed a raft of mandatory specifications (technical standards) for a group of commodities and products as part of the government efforts to protect consumers, enhance health and environment safety standards and keep abreast of international quality benchmarks of products in the local market.

The cabinet approved 33 new technical standards for various foodstuff, including fruits, vegetables, spices, genetically modified agricultural produce and canned food for children. The technical standards also include additional specifications for shock-resistant vehicles to ensure safety of users.

The cabinet approved the budget of the General Pension and Social Security Authority for 2012 with revenues estimated at about Dh4 billion, payments and expenditures of Dh2.3 billion and a net surplus of Dh1.7 billion.

Estimated revenues show an increase of four per cent over 2011 at Dh106 million while estimated expenses rose 16 per cent at Dh300 million as a result of growing base of pensioners and the projected rise in benefits and compensations. Revenues on investment were forecast to grow more than nine per cent to over Dh70 million. Market value of the investment is also expected to go up.

The cabinet also approved several international conventions the UAE has signed with other countries. The council of minister also passed the budget of the Emirates Investment Authority for fiscal year 2012.

issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com

Arab world needs $144bn to meet food needs

hamid — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:53:09 +0000

FOOD CONCERN: Food security became a major issue in the Arab world since 2008 when food prices soared in the global market. (Getty Images)

Arab countries need to invest $144 billion in agriculture between now and 2030 to meet the demand for food for their growing populations, said an Arab official.

Arab states need to secure half of this amount from private investors to meet the demand of the combined population that is expected to reach 550 million in 2030, said Tareq Al Zadjali, director general of the Arab Organisation for Agriculture Development in an interview in Jeddah this week.

Al-Zadjali said the gap in the Arab world will reach $71 billion in 2030 and without encouraging business to increase investment it can’t be narrowed.

“The private investors need ready infrastructure and Arab countries need to develop that to attract them,” he added. “I don’t expect investors to build electricity stations, grains silos, and ports. This is the responsibility of governments.”

Al-Zadjali said these investments will allow for producing as much as 93 percent of the demand for grains within the Arab world; and 81 percent of the demand for sugar crops and 69 percent of that for oil seeds.

“I’m not expecting us to attract $144 billion in investments but if we attracted 75 percent of that sum then our plan will still work,” he added.

Food security became a major issue in the Arab world since 2008 when food prices soared in the global market. Many exporting nations gave priorities to feed their nations even as Arab countries had the money to buy from abroad, al-Zadjali said.

Since then Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates developed plans to buy farms abroad in Asian and African countries to export food back home. Al-Zadjali wants to see more Arabs investing in agriculture within the Arab worlds’ borders.

Thailand to cooperate with Pakistan for Halal meat

salama — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 19:32:19 +0000

FAISALABAD: Pakistan and Thailand will extend their co operation in livestock and poultry industry sectors in the form of Halal meat preparation and exchange of faculty, students and skilled manpower.

This was stated by Pakistan Ambassador to Thailand Sohail Mahmood while talking to University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan in VC Chamber here on Saturday.

He said that in this regard, Thai biggest Halal meat organization CB Group was interested in investing in Pakistan by establishing farms, processing units and slaughtering houses.

Thailand is being ranked one of the largest exporters of the Halal meat, he said, adding that total turnover of the CB group was 20 billion dollar, investing in 14 countries.

The envoy maintained that the Thai investment will open a new avenue of the employment. He said that Pakistan was enjoying four seasons and producing a large number of livestock and crops. He said Pakistan was third largest producer of the milk.

By using the proper milk processing the country can heavy foreign exchange. He said that it is the matter of great concern that our farmers were using the old practice of cultivation. The trend must be curtailed by giving awareness to the farming community about latest practices.

He also said that Thailand was earning heavy money by tourism as the set target of the year was 18 million tourists which is the one over ten of the total pollution of Pakistan.

He stressed the need for setting up meat processing units across the country that would pave way to give our meat as the one of the best.

Lauding the steps of the university and its good well across the country, he said that the group was intended in setting up the farms, processing units and slaughtering houses at the UAF in collaboration with the university.

Prof Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan stressed the need for more cementing ties with the country. He said that the country was proving its mettle on the horizon of Halal food and there are many avenues to cooperate the country. Later, the envoy visited livestock and poultry farms at the UAF.

Canada: Winnipeg beef packing project to press ahead

salama — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:47:52 +0000

A new Winnipeg slaughter plant will go ahead despite the loss of $10 million in federal funding and an effort by Manitoba Beef Producers to end the voluntary $2 checkoff funding the project, according to its chief executive.

“We are ready for shovels in the ground when we finish our financing, and when Mother Nature co-operates,” said Doug Cooper, president and CEO of ProNatur, formerly called Keystone Processors. “We’re expecting those two things to collide about the second week of March.”

Cooper suggested that opposition to the project that surfaced at the recent Manitoba Beef Producers annual meeting didn’t reflect the views of a majority of the province’s cattle producers.

“They have every right to put in a resolution to lobby to do away with the checkoff and they did by a vote of 24 to 21,” said Cooper. “Now I don’t know if there are more than 50 cattle producers in Manitoba, but I’m betting there are.”

But attendees at the Manitoba Forage Council’s recent annual Grazing School didn’t seem ready to rally around the project.

“We’re not here to be antagonists,” Cooper told the unresponsive crowd, adding it’s time for producers to decide if they want the plant to go ahead.

“This plant should be built if Manitoba producers want it, and the best way for them to say they want it is to continue the voluntary checkoff,” Cooper said. “And really it goes a step beyond that. Because this checkoff is voluntary, they can request this money back, so if Manitoba producers want this they will leave it in.”

The voluntary $2 checkoff was created to finance the Manitoba Cattle Enhancement Council, which was formed in the wake of the BSE crisis, with the province matching funds. The council changed its name to Keystone Processors Ltd. after merging with producer-owned Natural Prairie Beef Inc. in 2008, but due to potential brand confusion south of the border, the company has now been rechristened ProNatur.

It wants to build a 63,000-square-foot plant on Marion Street in east Winnipeg capable of processing 250 animals a day. The plant has been designed so it can easily increase capacity to 500 animals a day.

“Huge demand”

A major element of its business plan is to process kosher and halal beef, which requires having religious personnel on site to ensure cows are slaughtered in a way prescribed by Jewish and Muslim dietary laws.

“In fact, 31 per cent of our throughput is planned to be (a) religious harvest,” said Cooper. He added meat processed at the plant would be shipped to three different continents.

“There is a huge demand for this,” he said.

Cooper said the plant will process at a slower pace to allow time for the religious certification to occur, but will be able to command a substantial premium for kosher and halal beef. He said the project has secured $18 million in funding from RBC, and is negotiating with private investors and venture capitalists to replace the $10 million in funding withdrawn by the federal government this summer.

The company is also contacting beef producers to line up a supply of cattle.

“We hope to identify these niche markets and offer people an array of programs to choose from, and also develop relationships right through the chain,” said Butch Shadbolt, director of producer relations.

– Shannon Vanraes is a reporter with the Manitoba Co-operator

USA: Food Safety Eclipses Rising Food Costs as Top Food Story of 2011

salama — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:14:50 +0000

Cantaloupe Listeria Outbreak Tops List in Annual Survey Commissioned by Hunter Public Relations

NEW YORK, NY, Dec 08, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) — Food safety tops the list of an annual survey asking Americans to choose the most significant food story of 2011. Even in a year when global food prices hit record highs and both restaurant menus and retail food labels got a new look, the safety of the American food supply dominated the headlines and consumers took notice. The survey was commissioned by Hunter Public Relations, a leading public relations agency specializing in the food and beverage industry.

Now in its ninth year, the Hunter PR food survey provides a look back at the top food-related stories of each year. To compile the 2011 list, the Hunter PR Food Group collaborated with industry experts, including Phil Lempert, editor of Supermarket Guru; Regina Ragone, food director of Family Circle; Elizabeth Fassberg, owner of food and nutrition consultancy Eat Food; Brad Thompson, chef and restaurant consultant; and Megan Steintrager, freelance food writer and editor. After polling 1,000 Americans, the following were named the top three food-related stories of 2011:

#1: Twenty-Nine Deaths Caused by Cantaloupe Listeria Outbreak To date, 29 people have died, and another 133 were made ill from tainted cantaloupe in 2011. Traced to bacteria growing on packing equipment at Colorado’s Jensen Farms, the incident is already the second largest listeria outbreak in U.S. history.

#2: First Lady Michelle Obama with USDA Unveils MyPlate, Replaces Food Pyramid For the second year in a row, First Lady Michelle Obama was part of one of the top food stories of the year. Together with the USDA, she revealed MyPlate, the new dietary guidelines campaign, replacing the 20-year-old food pyramid.

#3: Global Food Prices Hit Record High The number three spot finds its home at the intersection of food and finance: global food prices skyrocketed in 2011, putting pressure on the restaurant, travel and hotel industries. To avoid passing costs to consumers, companies are scrambling to renegotiate contracts, find cheaper suppliers and reconfigure menus.

The survey also revealed how consumer behavior was impacted by these stories and how these stories will affect Americans in the coming year.

Digesting Food News

Pakistan: Energy, security challenges not insurmountable: UK Diplomat

salama — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 08:43:32 +0000

KARACHI: Problems like power shortages and security challenges that Pakistan faces today are not insurmountable. When Pakistan overcomes such problems in near future, its trade with the outer world will flourish, says British Deputy High Commissioner Francis Campbell.

He was speaking to the Pakistani business community and a UK trade delegation at a reception at the British Deputy High Commission on Thursday evening. The reception was hosted by the UK Trade and Investment Department for local businessmen and about 50 British companies that had come to visit the 6th Expo Pakistan.

“Looking at the growth rate of 25 per cent over the last six months in bilateral trade, I am confident that the trade target will not be difficult to achieve. Both countries are making efforts in the right direction which will likely produce results,” Campbell said.

Pakistan and the UK were likely to achieve the bilateral trade target of 2.5 billion pound sterling by 2015 from the present 1.9 billion pounds, he said.

Replying to a question, he said the biggest challenge for Pakistan was to improve its image in Europe. “UK is doing its best to overcome this challenge by inviting its companies to Pakistan. A lot of UK companies have recently invested in Pakistan and the presence of new companies will encourage more companies to invest despite some security challenges.”

Campbell saw huge potential in sectors like agriculture, oil and gas, which were top among other areas.

Companies that come from the UK represent different sectors including information and communications technology, sportswear, hotel and tourism, creative and media, packaging, alternative energy and consultants from the services sector.

Pakistan High Commission Commercial Counsellor in London Saira Najeeb Ahmed, who was also present at the reception, said trade between Pakistan and Britain needed to grow at 20 per cent per annum to catch the target of 2.5 billion pounds by 2015.

“At present, our annual growth rate in trade is 25 per cent and I hope we will achieve the target,” she said.

UK companies wanted to invest in Pakistan because of its 180-million market while Pakistan could also increase exports of food and agriculture products to the UK, she said.

Talking to The Express Tribune on the sidelines of Expo Pakistan on Friday, UK-Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Syed Qamar Raza said huge potential existed for increasing bilateral trade as there was immense demand of quality halal food products in the UK which Pakistan could export.

“At present, Pakistan cannot export its poultry and meat products to the UK because of a ban in Europe for the last seven years. We are going to arrange meetings of Pakistani European parliamentarians and our packaged food exporters to end this ban in the next few months so that our quality products can reach the UK and other European countries,” Raza said.

He added that the potential for fruit juice and its products in the UK was enormous and Pakistan produced good quality fruits and juices which could be introduced in European markets.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2011.

Daily Times

By Tanveer Sher

KARACHI: Pakistani Halal Food, which also includes poultry products, has vast export potential in European and other Western countries.

The exports can be enhanced manifold in coming days ahead provided the sector receives official patronage.

The private sector exporters of Hala Food said through adopting modernize techniques and bettering sanitary certification procedures, the Halal Food exports could fetch more than $100 million in next two years.

CEO of K&Ns, Khalil Sattar talking to media representatives at the Pakistan Expo 2011, currently underway in Karachi claimed Pakistani foods were quite capable to cater global demand of Halal Food and in this regard he specially cited European Union and Gulf Cooperative countries (GCC) where increasing demand for Pakistani value added chicken products could help fetch substantial foreign currency to the national exchequer.

He asserted Pakistani poultry farmers were observing an increasing interest for Halal products in North America as well.

The Mainstreaming Of Fair Trade

hamid — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:01:52 +0000

By Ariel Schwartz

If you’ve swigged Honest Tea, eaten a spoonful of Ben and Jerry’s, or sipped on a Starbucks drink, chances are that you’ve consumed a Fair Trade product. And while you may not know exactly what it means for a product to be certified Fair Trade, you probably know that it’s a good thing.

You probably also have noticed the proliferation of Fair Trade products recently–there are over 10,000 of them on U.S. store shelves, and in the second quarter of 2011, sales of Fair Trade certified products skyrocketed 63%. After 13 years of existence in the U.S. (it has been around longer in Europe), Fair Trade is going mainstream.

Paul Rice [1], the CEO of Fair Trade USA (and former Fast Company cover model), believes that it has taken off for two reasons: an increase in consumer awareness and concern around social and environmental issues, and the fact that many people are realizing that the things they consume can have a large ripple effect.

“You see this rapidly growing desire for people to know where their stuff came from,” says Rice. “I think this rising consciousness is leading to a phenomenon that we call the Conscious Consumer. Depending on whose data you read, that consumer segment is anywhere from 15% to 40% of American adult shoppers.” This is a group that is looking for socially and environmentally responsible products on a daily basis–and they’re willing to pay a little bit more (a five to 10 cent premium) for a product that makes them feel good.

On the corporate side, Fair Trade certification has grown because of an awareness of the ramifications of being caught with a supply chain that’s reliant on, say, child labor. Companies all see that the Fair Trade label offers a degree of distinction, especially for the ever-growing Conscious Consumer segment. “Companies are increasingly rethinking how they approach global supply chains and looking for more traceability and more transparency, and that’s what Fair Trade does,” says Rice.

The concept of Fair Trade is simple: Fair Trade USA works with U.S. companies to audit and ensure that their products are compliant with international Fair Trade standards. Farmers who produce Fair Trade certified products receive a fair price for their labor, don’t have to deal with middlemen who skim money off the top of transactions, follow stringent environmental standards, and invest premiums from sales in community development.

Consumer awareness of Fair Trade in the U.S. is around 34%–not as high as awareness of organic products, but it’s a large number considering that Fair Trade has been around in this country for less than two decades. Organic certification in the U.S. has existed since the early 1970s.

The Fair Trade movement has grown so large that it now has the hallmarks of a successful campaign: celebrity spokespeople. Musicians Grace Potter [2] and Michael Franti [3] both are putting on concerts this month dedicated to Fair Trade awareness–the first time that Fair Trade has had any sort of major celebrity endorsement. “If you look at all the causes out there, sooner or later everyone looks for high-visibility spokespeople to tell their story. We’re ready,” says Rice.

Both concerts (Franti’s concert from earlier this month and Potter’s upcoming concert on Thursday) are streaming at Green Mountain Coffee [4]’s Facebook page. Green Mountain was the largest purchaser of Fair Trade certified coffee in the world in 2010.

“It’s one thing to stand beside a brand and say that it tastes good. We’re talking about giving people a better life and providing the stability for these farms and the communities that are creating this coffee,” says Potter.

Fair Trade USA has certainly seen more success in some areas than others. A few years ago, Fair Trade started thinking about taking its methodology “from farm to factory,” according to Rice–beginning with soccer balls and apparel. The challenge is taking these Fair Trade items from mission-driven retailers to big companies like Wilson, Nike, Gap, and Levi’s.

The apparel companies, at least, are all interested. “They’re curious about whether or not they can get the consumers to pay a little more to cover the extra cost to have a more sustainable factory,” says Rice. “That said, launching Fair Trade apparel in the recession was just bad luck, because no apparel company wanted to raise prices.” After crunching the numbers with one jeans company, Fair Trade USA found that a $40 pair of jeans would cost just $4 or $5 more to go Fair Trade–but the apparel companies aren’t convinced that customers will pay.

Regardless, Rice predicts that Fair Trade certifications will continue to grow in the coming years. “Our goal is by 2015 to double our volume and impact around the world in every product category we’re working in. We’ll also definitely be launching new product categories, but we want to go deeper in everything we’re doing,” he says.

Pakistan: PBIT, Thai Embassy hold Halal Food conference

salama — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:00:07 +0000

LAHORE – The PBIT in collaboration with the Royal Thai Embassy held a Halal Food Conference at the CM Secretariat. The event was a part of the Halal promotion project undertaken by The Royal Thai Embassy to mark the 60th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Thailand and Pakistan.
Chief Executive Officer PBIT, Dr Sajid Yoosufani addressing the audience said that the Punjab government is taking serious steps for making Punjab a Halal hub for the global market and we are on our way to developing a Halal Certification process and setting up Halal Parks through which Pakistan would be able to tap in to this trillion dollar market. He said that Punjab Government keenly awaits establishment of Halal meat and poultry processing businesses of CP Thailand in Punjab and PBIT is available at each stage for maximum facilitation.
Punjab has the world’s fourth largest population of livestock with over 43 livestock breeds. Therefore given the importance of potential in Punjab for becoming the Halal food hub for the world, Halal Thai food authorities; National Food Institute of Thai ministry of Industries & Halal science center, Chulanogkoran University and the leading Thai companies dealing in Halal Food business like Thai President Foods, Modern foods, Thai Airways cuisines and Siam Daily foods, were invited for exchange of information on Halal Foods Business and way forward for cooperation between Punjab and Thailand in Halal Food Business. Business matchmaking between Thai and Pakistani Businessmen was arranged by PBIT to provide Pakistani Businesses engaged in Halal Food Business and those aspiring ventures in the field as learning and networking platform for the participants.

Pakistan: Government to establish 200 acre Halal Industrial Park

salama — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 02:37:16 +0000

FAISALABAD: For the first time in Pakistan, a one-window operation is being provided for boosting trade in halal products and a 200-acre halal industrial park is being established in Faisalabad.

In this park, manufacturers, processors and traders can pulp and preserve fruits, meat, vegetables, date, milk and dairy products, besides preparing foods in a clean and pollution-free atmosphere. They can also avail easy accessibility to raw materials through inter-company linkages and liaisons.

This industrial food products’ park will be provided full cover by the government and patronage from the top ranking departments, both from the private and public sector.

This is the brainchild of Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) and direct liaison with the Punjab’s Livestock and Dairy Development Department.

By virtue of its experience, FIEDMC will play a leading role in developing the exclusive M-3 halal industrial park.

FIDEMIC Chairman Khawaja Asem Khurshid said that the dynamics of such a large project are altogether different from any other project of a lesser scale because it involved innovative master planning and catering to the needs of all sectors, including industrialists and service providers.

“The new idea which was floated by FIEDMC for attracting investment seems to be well-conceived and in line with the emerging dynamics and demand of the international markets,” he said.

Khurshid said “The logo of M-3 halal industrial park will be introduced in the international market as brand of Pakistan, which will certify that the products produced in the park will adhere to international standards. “The establishment of the halal industrial park will significantly contribute to the economy of Pakistan”, he further said.

Economic experts are of the view that the halal market is growing at a fast pace and has drawn so much attention and interest from all around the world that further development initiative and strategies are essential for the promotion of halal economy in Pakistan.

Economists say that, “Halal food alone has a global market size of $635 billion. It is interesting to note that the size of halal food market in the non-Muslim countries is also substantial – the market in Europe stands at $67 billion.”

Halal products are moving into mainstream business and their demand is steadily increasing. It is now seen as a potential engine of economic growth. Pakistan, being a Muslim country, can assume a leadership role in global halal food market provided proper strategies are put in place.

It is worth mentioning that halal certified products are recognised as hygienic and of good quality. Hence these are also in high demand among the non-Muslims. Multinational companies around the world are already part of the halal trade and major hypermarkets in Europe and Asia sell halal products.

The movement of halal products around the world has created the halal value chain, with entirely new sectors relating to halal financing, halal logistics, halal security, halal storage, halal auditing and halal industrial development. In industrial development, dedicated halal-certified zones are a reality today, including halal parks and halal free zones.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th, 2011.

Let Them Eat Ethanol and Cash

hamid — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:29:54 +0000

By Greg Lindsay

Why have global food prices spiked not once, but twice in the last three years, raising the specter of famine and triggering worldwide food riots–including the Arab Spring? [1] Many explanations have been floated, including climate change-related droughts in Australia, volatile oil prices, “food security” export restrictions, and last but not least, feeding China’s strategic pork reserve [2]a scientific paper [3] released this morning by the New England Complex Systems Institute, there are only two factors that matter: ethanol and financial speculation.

The former is easier to prove. A drop in the bucket only a decade ago, ethanol will consume a remarkable 40% of the U.S. corn crop this year, comprising 16% of world corn production and 4% percent of total grain production overall. The paper’s authors mapped the rise of ethanol production to the steady climb of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Food Price Index since 2004 and found a close fit, much closer than Australia’s droughts (too small), oil price spikes (too late), or China’s craving for pork bellies (big, but not big enough). “Ethanol is much bigger. It’s bigger by a factor of 20,” says Yaneer Bar-Yam, one of the paper’s authors and the president of NECSI.

The paper’s second claim is more controversial. While ethanol is responsible for the long-term increase in baseline prices, it can’t explain the bubble-and-bust dynamics of 2007/2008 and 2010/2011. So NECSI’s researchers set out to build an all-purpose mathematical model of speculative bubbles, feeding it price data to see if there was another close fit.

What they found refutes the OECD’s findings [4] and confirms the suspicions [5] of Harpers’ Frederick Kaufman –the repeal of the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936 and the deregulation of commodity futures in 2000 transformed the futures markets from an instrument of liquidity to a place to park one’s money.

Instead of being a place where farmers and agricultural businesses set reasonable prices, the markets have become just another place for speculation.

“That regulation had limited the ability of investors to invest beyond a certain amount,” says Bar-Yam. “Its repeal enabled the index funds, which in turn opened the door to people who were not in the agricultural investment business to go into the commodities markets of corn, wheat, and so on.”

All of that money–commodity index holdings soared from $13 billion in 2003 to $317 billion in 2008–inevitably caused distortions in the market. “If you look at our figures, you’ll see there’s a huge difference between the futures price or the spot price and what should be the equilibrium one,” Bar-Yam says.

The authors’ recommendations are straightforward and immediate–to drive down prices for the world’s poor, governments must restore financial regulations (including the Commodity Exchange Act) and begin winding down ethanol production. “There is a moral imperative here,” says Bar-Yam. “And from an economic standpoint, efficient allocation and optimality are desirable things,” neither of which are currently being served. And if they don’t, as the authors noted last month in a related paper, the turmoil of Arab Spring may go global.

Read more columns like this in our continuing series, The Butterfly Effect [6]

[Image: Flickr user kevindooley [7]]

Links:
[1] http://www.fastcompany.com/1776907/let-them-eat-cash-did-commodity-markets-cause-the-arab-spring
[2] http://www.fastcompany.com/1766646/and-bacon-for-all-how-chinas-craving-for-pork-is-burning-down-the-amazon-and-leading-to-a-ri
[3] http://necsi.edu/research/social/food_prices.pdf
[4] http://www.economist.com/node/16432870?subjectid=2512631&story_id=16432870
[5] http://harpers.org/archive/2010/07/0083022
[6] http://www.fastcompany.com/tag/butterfly-effect
[7] http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/