美國嚴重乾旱或引發全球糧食通脹
The worst drought in the US in 25 years has wrought havoc on the country's most important crops, putting the global economy at risk of its third food inflation shock in five years.
美國25年來最嚴重的乾旱對該國主要農作物造成了巨大破壞，全球經濟可能因此面臨5年來第三次糧食通脹的衝擊。The US Department of Agriculture slashed its forecast for the corn crop yesterday by the most since the drought of 1988. It cut the 2012-13 production estimate by 12 per cent and its season-end inventory estimate by a hefty 37 per cent. Richard Feltes, vice-president at broker RJ O'Brien, said the lower crop "ups the risks of reintroducing food inflation as an issue affecting global recovery".
美國農業部(US Department of Agriculture)昨日調降了玉米產量預期，調降幅度爲1988年乾旱以來最大一次。美國農業部將2012-2013年度的產量預測調降12%，將季末庫存預測大幅調降37%。經紀商RJ O'Brien副總裁理查德•菲爾特斯(Richard Feltes)表示，收成下降"加大了糧食通脹再次影響全球復甦的風險。"The US is the world's largest corn exporter and is a major supplier of other food commodities including soyabean and wheat. The USDA monthly estimates are among the most closely monitored barometers of food commodities markets.
美國是全球最大玉米出口國，也是大豆和小麥等其他糧食產品的主要供應國。美國農業部的月度預測是糧食大宗商品市場最受密切關注的指標之一。
The much lower-than-expected crop sizes sent the price of corn and soyabean higher, reviving memories of the price jump in the 2007-08 food crisis and the surge in 2010-11 after Russia banned exports of grains.
遠遠低於預期的收成情況推動玉米和大豆價格走高，這讓人回憶起2007年至2008年糧食危機時糧價大幅上漲，以及2010年至2011年在俄羅斯禁止穀物出口之後糧價飆升的情景。But policymakers believe a food crisis is unlikely because supplies of wheat and rice, the two main commodities for the world's food security, remain relatively plentiful and prices are still below previous highs.
但政策制定者認爲，糧食危機不太可能出現，因爲關係到全球糧食安全的兩種主要農作物——小麥和大米的供應仍相對充足，價格仍低於之前高位。The surge in corn and soyabean prices comes as the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation and the OECD, the rich countries' club, warned in their annual food outlook report that prices are set to remain high for at least another 10 years.
在玉米和大豆價格飆升之際，聯合國糧農組織(Food and Agriculture Organisation)和"富國俱樂部"經合組織(OECD)在年度糧食前景報告中警告稱，未來至少10年內，糧食價格將繼續維持高位。
