Fearing political backlash, Mexico's government is promising citizens that it will do what it can to keep tortilla prices right where they are. According to Mexico's National Chamber for the Tortilla and Dough Industry, prices will rise 18 percent in the coming weeks.
The government, sensing troubling inflation and massive protests, is planning to offer financial support to offset the price of transportation and warehousing, according to BBC.
The high costs of corn and gasoline are causing the spike. Hording of corn by producers is also putting a strain on supply. Tortillas, being such a staple, have ability to influence Mexico's national economy. Bloomberg News reports that a 40 percent jump in tortilla prices would probably force the central bank to deliver a significant interest rate hike.
Can you think of a food staple for which an 18 percent rise in price would cause massive street protests in your neck of the woods? Is it surprising that food prices would have a direct impact on the bank's interest rates? What food would cause the government to intervene in the States?
Hatbox
here? i don't know. Beef? Oranges? Corn? Corn would be the thing that would seem to affect just about everything else if it spiked up in price.
1A corn shortage would hurt; so would flour/wheat. We're so big and have so many options though, I think it would have to be something really huge to cause protests or serious intervention.
2Although all those Oreos on the highway make me think I should run to the store and grab what I can now.
All these food posts are making me hungry.
3I was really disappointed by the story about the wasted oreos. I was picturing oreos being run over, and people's tires slipping in the icing. tragic!
4I think that dairy prices seem to get a lot of attention, but corn is in everything, so that could create some serious problems.
5I think if we had a shortage of high fructose corn syrup in this country just about everyone would go hungry...it's in everything!
6I see the barley beer connection definitely riot material there.
7MarinerMandy - I wish there was a shortage of high fructose corn syrup - that would help with obesity in this country
8coffee......yep coffee would cause a riot.
9Beef? Kraft Macaroni and Cheese?
10I do too, karissaamy! The problem is then people would have to eat REAL food and that is just unAmerican!
11I wouldn't know what food shortage would cause a riot in NYC?
12"coffee......yep coffee would cause a riot."
...better yet, a starbucks shortage, I'm sure people would go insane without wird coffee combos!
(I'm craving a iced-soy-mocha right now)
13I wouldnt drink coffee from starbucks if there were a shortage and they held the last Cuppa.
14For NYC: fish for sushi, flour for pizza and coffee beans... I'm not sure where this city would be without those...
15And what are those tortillas? I'm Mexican and have never seen four-colored tortillas...
16Chardonnay.
17My house would go nuts with a shortage on tortillas, rice and beans. Those are main staples for us. My MIL already complains that everythings too expensive. They'd probably start making the tortillas at home.
18anaisethenry i thought the same thing... never in my life have i had a taco de pastor in a four colored tortilla!!
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