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Source: World Union of Wholesale Markets – 07 Oct 08
 “There is enough food in the world the real debate should be about the global division of foods and welfare” said Mr Henning Otto Hansen,
Mr Henning Otto Hansen, senior advisor at Copenhagen Business School and an international expert on global production of food, put emphasis on the reasons for and the patterns in the international food crisis, which the world has experienced the last couple of years, and which has taken a lot of media attention.
Mr Hansen was addressing the WUWM (the World Union of Wholesale Markets) international congress in Copenhagen, his conclusion was sharp:
“The food crisis is off! Globally, the supply of foods is rising again, and we are now seeing the first signs of a drop in the prices. The farms are cultivating larger acres of land, they are using more fertilizers, and the yields are growing.
Globally, we now have the capacity to produce foods for about 12 billion people. This means that the global food crisis will only last one or two more years” said Otte Hansen.
However, he stressed what the real food problem in the world is about: “food crisis is a problem, particularly in the under developed countries. There is enough food, but the price touches upon world welfare and division problems.”
The Danish EU agricultural commissioner, Mrs Marianne Fisher Boel, pointed out the significant responsibility that the European food markets have when it comes to ensuring European consumers eat more fruit and vegetables, thereby improving the national health.
“Children and youngsters in the European countries eat far too few fruit and vegetables. The EU and the individual governments have a direct responsibility to provide these children and youngsters with healthy eating habits, which in turn will secure them a healthy life. That is why we now launch the European School Food Programme, where fruit and vegetables play an important role.
It is my hope that all the European governments will back this initiative and make sure that the children and youngsters receive healthier food in their schools” said Mrs Fischer Boel in her address to the congress participants.
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