Australia's rice bowl is a dust bowl now
You might have noticed that the price of staple foods like rice and corn have shot up dramatically in the last few months -- and while we love to blame biofuels for the soaring prices, a prolonged drought in Australia is actually one of the biggest contributers. After 6 consecutive years of drought conditions, Australia's rice production has shrunk by 98% -- resulting in a global rice shortage.Australia is the planet's most arid continent, but until recently, it was also home to the largest rice mill in the southern hemisphere. The Deniliquin Mill, which used to process enough rice to feed 20 million, has been temporarily shut down until conditions approve -- if they improve. That's very bad news for countries like Haiti and Senegal, who import 80% of their rice -- the high prices have already caused riots in both countries.
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