Hindus ask for speedy solution to global food prices hike

Nevada (US), Jan 07 (ANI): Hindus have expressed serious concerns at the recent rise in global food prices.

Well known Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that one sixth of all humanity was already suffering from hunger and these price hikes would further deteriorate the situation.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that United Nations (UN) and other world organizations should urgently come up with solutions regarding this serious issue of hikes in the prices of food staples, which some fear would continue to rise given the global conditions.

According to reports, food prices have risen considerably around the world, crossing the previous Food Price Index record of 2008. Rise has been due to soaring prices of cereal, oil and sugar. Unpredictable weather could push these still higher. Price of wheat has also gone up and so is corn. Australian floods, Argentinean drought, Russian wildfires, etc., have also contributed to the problem. Many developing countries, where food takes up major portion of family budgets, would be most affected.

Reports suggest that food prices, on an average, have risen by over 80 percent in the last ten years; and speedy growth of world population, environmental issues, higher biofuels demand, etc., are also the causes. Poor suffer the most with these price hikes.

Rajan Zed also demanded that UN should declare access to adequate food a fundamental human right. It was immoral and ungodly for the world to watch one sixth of all humanity suffering from hunger day after day and not come up with a permanent solution.

Zed pointed out that it was unfortunate that instead of decreasing, numbers of hungry were increasing, and the number of malnourished was roughly now over one billion. Besides governments and private sector, religions should also join hands on this issue, which was a social and moral blight on all of us.

World needed to dramatically change its lifestyle and thinking and leaving greed aside, it should take care of its vulnerable populations, Rajan Zed added. (ANI)