全球大米价暴涨引起救援机构焦虑

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The cost of rice has risen up to 50 percent on world markets, raising concerns among aid agencies in Asia. The agencies say they are facing shortfalls in efforts to feed the hungry in the region.

世界市场上大米价格暴涨引起亚洲救援机构的深切关注。这些救援机构说，他们没有足够的粮食来帮助当地饥民。

The price of rice on world markets has doubled since 2004 and in the past two months alone has gone up 50 percent. Rising fuel and fertilizer costs, and natural disasters are fueling the price hikes.

自从2004年以来，世界市场上的大米价格已经翻了一番，仅仅在过去的两个月中就暴涨了50%。燃料和化肥成本飙升，再加上自然灾害不断，导致很多食品价格都水涨船高。

The rising costs have triggered warnings of unrest in the Philippines. Cambodia and Vietnam have cut their rice exports, actions that analysts say threaten to push prices up even further in the coming months.

菲律宾警告说，食品价格飞涨可能引起社会动乱。柬埔寨和越南都决定减少大米出口。分析人士说，越柬两国的做法可能导致大米价格在今后的几个月进一步上扬。

The World Food Program (WFP) recently launched what it said is an extraordinary emergency appeal for donor nations to increase their donations. The agency says it faces a $500 million shortfall, $160 million of that in Asia, a situation that officials say may soon force them to start cutting rations.

世界粮食计划署最近发出紧急呼吁，要求捐助国增加捐款。世界粮食计划署说，他们面临5亿美元的缺口，其中1亿6千万美元的缺额是在亚洲。有关官员表示，这种形势很快就会迫使他们削减配给量。

Gaddi Vasquez, the U.S. ambassador to U.N. food and agriculture agencies is traveling in Asia. He met on Friday with officials of the World Food Program and others in Bangkok to talk about solving what he said could turn into a significant humanitarian crisis. Mr. Vasquez told reporters the United States, the largest single donor to the World Food Program, has not yet decided if it will increase donations in the wake of rising food prices.

加迪.瓦斯逵兹是美国驻联合国粮农组织大使。瓦斯逵兹大使目前正在亚洲巡回视察。星期五，他在曼谷会见了世界粮食计划署官员，讨论如何采取措施，避免粮食价格暴涨引发一场严重的人道危机。瓦斯逵兹告诉记者，美国作为向世界粮食计划署提供捐助最多的国家，现在还没有决定是否增加援助。

"The United States is currently about 43 percent of the donor base of the World Food Program and the assessment of what, if any, contributions could be supplemented to that effort are under way in Washington, DC, and being looked by the agencies that provide the funding," he said.

他说：“美国目前承担着世界粮食计划署大约43%的捐款份额。美国的有关机构正在华盛顿讨论是否进一步增加捐款。”

U.S. and WFP officials say they are searching for ways to cut transportation and other non-food costs. They say one way is to develop means of purchasing and processing food in the countries that receive the aid, rather than have to transport it from far away places.

美国和世界粮食计划署的官员表示，他们正在想办法减少运输和其他非食品类费用。他们说，办法之一可能是在受援国就地购买和加工粮食，而不是把从遥远地区购买的粮食长途运输过来。

World Food Program officials say their ability to feed people has dropped significantly in the last few months. As an example, officials say that just last year, $15 million could buy 189,000 tons of food and feed 3.5 million people in Afghanistan. Now, they say the same $15 million allows them to purchase only 112,000 tons to feed 1.9 million people.

世界粮食计划署的官员说，在过去的几个月中，他们有能力救济的人数已经大幅度减少。比如，仅仅在去年，1500万美元可以购买18.9万吨粮食，足以养活阿富汗的350万饥民。可是现在，1500万美元只能购买11.2万吨粮食，只够190万饥民聊以果腹。