Dealing with a rice crisis

When the Chinese press reports about the surging price of rice worldwide it tends to give the impression that China is safe because of its ample stocks.

Really? Most of China's stocks - currently about 50 million tons, according to some sources, is admittedly huge, but most of these stocks are in farmers' barns.

That is usually the situation. How much can the government count on these stocks in an emergency depends on the work experience and effectiveness of local government officials. Have they checked farmers' rice stocks lately? No one knows.