Crisis in food price, food security imperil the marginalised:
FOOD security of the nation is currently at stake due to the skyrocketing price of essential food commodities which leaves major impacts particularly on the marginalised sections of the society. Recent rise in the cost of production of food in the domestic market, together with high price of food and oil in international market, may lead to further food inflation, leaving adverse effects on the poor. Moreover, half of the income of most of the poor people is spent on food. Price hikes for essential commodities can force them not only to cut back on the quantity or quality of their food intake, but also change their consumption patterns. This may result in food insecurity and malnutrition, with adverse implications in both short and long term. Consequently, sky-high food prices might not only make the lives of the poor miserable, but also could drag down many people below the poverty line. From the beginning of the financial year 2010-11, the prices of essential commodities have been on an upward curve due to food related inflation. Food inflation has crossed the double digit figure in December 2010 (11.01 per cent) and reached 14.36 per cent by April 2011 (Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and Bangladesh Bank, 2011). The direct result of such food inflation is drastic price hike of essential commodities. Before the current spike, the price of essential commodities in 2008 was the highest of the decade, which started to decline in 2009. The first half of 2011 witnessed a higher price hike that left the spike of 2008 far behind.
