Half of people hit hard by record rice price hike: FAO

The Food and Agricultural Organisation on Tuesday said that rice price in flood-hit Bangladesh reached record levels to affect life of at least half of 16 million people.
Floods have negatively impacted livelihoods and food security of a large number of households, said the FAO in its Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture report.
Prices of rice, the country’s main staple, remained 30 per cent above their year-
earlier levels during the period. 
The high level of prices raises serious concerns about access to food by the most vulnerable sections of the population, added the report.
The FAO noted that three severe flash floods affected large areas of the country, particularly the northern districts.
Besides floods, the FAO blamed supply tightness and reduced imports in the previous year for the price hike of rice. 
The floods also caused deaths and injuries, loss of livestock and food supplies, and damage to housing and infrastructure, said the FAO.
The FAO noted that a large number of people were still living in temporary shelters and rely on humanitarian support, with many still vulnerable to food insecurity. 

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net