New Delhi is always one of the first capitals to raise the issue of food insecurity in international fora. It concurrently argues that agricultural subsidies by rich countries worsen global food insecurity while its own policies and subsidies are designed to lessen the problem. But rich countries generally do not ban food exports while it is a regular part of India’s tool box.  Panic buying was reported by various countries after India, the source of half the world’s traded rice supplies, announced an embargo on exports. Global rice carryover stocks are at their lowest level in six years. Exacerbating the situation is the Thai government’s decision to ask farmers to plant just one crop of rice instead of the usual tw...

TAGS – Softs, India