Thursday, September 13, 2007

First they came for the tortillas...

Now it's the pasta eaters who are outraged:

Italians were called to join a pasta strike on Thursday to protest against the inexplicable increase of prices.

Outraged over hikes in pasta prices, organisers and supporters of the strike have threatened to go for 24-hours without buying any pasta in the shops.

Consumer groups warn that pasta prices, specifically those for spaghetti, have gone up by 27 percent, a shock for Italians used to a steady diet of spaghetti, fettuccine and ravioli.

....According to news reports, durum wheat, which is used to make pasta, is now being used as a bio-fuel, raising demand and therefore the price.

Another reason is improved diets in emerging countries where putting more meat on the table is raising the demand for feed for livestock.

As a result, wheat stocks worldwide are being depleted and grain prices are soaring.

Higher wheat prices have led to a rise in flour prices and therefore pasta, bread and pizza prices have also gone up.

No comments: