Selling Rice

Farmer resting after negotiating the price of his rice harvest.

Rice holds a significant place in the modern market, and its production and trade icreases steadily each year. Thought to have originated in what is today Africa, Australia, and Asia, rice was clearly traded from these locations along with the earliest trade caravans. Because of its versatility, this cereal grain was easily adopted by a variety of cultures and incorporated into their diets as a staple, even finding its way into American Colonial society.      One problem with expanding trade and increasingly open makets is the fact that China now imports a good deal of its rice. In addition to reducing the demand for local rice, this results in a reduction in the cost of rice that farmers sell for export to other countries. Although increased trade is a benefit for global markets, it is causing increased poverty among farmers who are struggling to maintain their lifestyles. In addition, China's one child policy reduces the number of people available to work in the rice fields and makes it necessary for individuals to work together in cooperatives that are capable of purchasing farming equipment . While rice remains a staple of the Chinese (and world) diet, changing markets and economies ensure that those who cultivate rice remain in poverty and malnourished.