MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
To silence rationing rumours, Venezuela announces 760.000 tons of imported food is on the way
Venezuela is awaiting the arrival of 760.000 tons of food from different associated countries and which are destined to build a national reserve of food, according to Food Minister Felix Osorio. The announcement follows strong suggestions that rationing of certain food and toiletry items was in the pipeline. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesGod where do I start?
Jun 18th, 2013 - 05:49 am - Link - Report abuse 0“President Nicolas Maduro... was awarded a special prize from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, for Venezuela’s initiatives against hunger and lack of nourishment.”
Any wonder the UN Decolonisation Committee is so ineffective if this buffoon gets awards like this.
”We’re going to challenge face-on those rumours (on rationing); we’re addressing a temporary situation in the midst of an economic war”
The war was started and is being fought solely by the Venezuelan government against free and fair trade and then it wonders why there are shortages? Who wants to run a business at a loss? This only makes sense if you are the Venezuelan government which runs at a huge loss every single day.
“760.000 tons of food from different associated countries and which are destined to build a national reserve of food”
How big a reserve would that be? With 30 million people it wouldn't be much of a reserve now would it. Even at a conservative 1kgs of food per person per day is 30,000 tonnes per day.
So congratulations Venezuela, you just imported 23 days worth of food!
That is hardly food security. I probably have that amount of food in my pantry and freezer right now.
@1 Anglotino
Jun 18th, 2013 - 06:31 am - Link - Report abuse 0When you break it down it isn't much is it?
Also it doesn't say exactly what kind of food stuffs they are importing. What is their shelf life? Can you actually make a meal of the food? I mean importing coffee is fine, but it isn't a vital food item, you won't starve to death if you can't have your morning cup, but butter, milk, meat, vegetables; which are perishable items are vital. You can't really store them for that long, even freezing them only gives you a few months extra.
And as you say it is hardly food reserve if it doesn't even stretch to a month. All of these imports will be gone within days, there will be no reserve. Either that or they'll rot in their food reserve and it will be a waste of money.
But I suppose 760,000 tons sounds impressive to the lay person who won't be able to break it down quite so eloquently as you have.
Jam tomorrow.
Jun 18th, 2013 - 06:42 am - Link - Report abuse 0lol 760,000 (350,000 actual, since we know Venezuela always lies by at least twice as much) tons of flour won't last long, that's only 10 kilos of flour per person, so that's about 2 weeks worth of Arepa's, if that
Jun 18th, 2013 - 06:59 am - Link - Report abuse 0Can't they live on Bananas, they must have lots of bananas and they are very nutritious, they can even use the skins as toilet rolls. They need to start getting inventive.
Jun 18th, 2013 - 07:30 am - Link - Report abuse 0Rationing. We had to do this...during and after the Second World War
Jun 18th, 2013 - 08:37 am - Link - Report abuse 0And in AR there is a shortage of flour and sugar. Limited to buying 2 kg of each. And the local Vea only has cake flour. Next.????
Jun 18th, 2013 - 10:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0A little bit of research shows that, as of 2007, the UK was importing around 28 million tonnes of food per year. That's nearly 37 times what Venezuela has “on the way”. The UK is 60% self-sufficient in food. By contrast, Venezuela is only 30% self-sufficient. 760,000 tonnes would last the UK around 36 days. Two factors, i.e. self-sufficiency rate and population means that it might last Venezuela about the same length of time. Mind you, it might be longer if Venezuelans get away from their profligate 3 meals a day.
Jun 18th, 2013 - 11:10 am - Link - Report abuse 0I am just incredulous at these idiots that are now 'running' the country but, heh, it's what the Dead Man Now Rotting would want to see: utter chaos.
Jun 18th, 2013 - 11:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0Otherwise why did he select the bus driver?
With all of that bus driving experience I am not sure why he has problems driving the economy.
Jun 18th, 2013 - 01:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 010 yankeeboy
Jun 18th, 2013 - 04:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I suspect he was a piss poor bus driver as well.
LOLs
I imagine that the majority of these food-aid imports are from Brasil.
Jun 18th, 2013 - 06:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What is the quid pro quo?
760,000 tonnes
Jun 18th, 2013 - 07:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Mmmm I thought it was 759,999 tonnes,
Still
It may not arrive wrapped in toilet paper,
But will certainly leave wrapped in toilet paper…
???????
.
Oh and by the way...a loaf of whole wheat bread here in argieheaven costs the equivalent of $6 Cdn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jun 18th, 2013 - 10:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0See the advantages of a command economy, hopefully they have remembered to reorder toilet paper if their citizens are going to start eating again for a few weeks.
Jun 19th, 2013 - 12:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Has the food arrived yet ?
Jun 27th, 2013 - 11:41 am - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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