Maharaj warns of food shortages

In a letter to Newsday yesterday expressing concern about inflation and food shortages, Maharaj, the managing director of Arima Discount Mart, said the ban on beef from Argentina has already sent the price up by more than 40 percent. He said the ban on poultry from France will not have an effect on local poultry supplies.

Maharaj said Uruguay, New Zealand and Australia have been withholding their beef stocks for the last month because they wanted to take advantage of increased prices as a result of demand and supply.

He said the decline in food supplies, the opening up of the world market and the increased demands from countries such as China, Korea and Russia, will result in increased food prices. Maharaj said if nothing is done to address the matter, there will be food shortages.