In the previous 12 months there has been unprecedented rise in the costs of international raw materials and agricultural inputs and produce.

It is just not crude petroleum that has gone up two times, the upswing in fertiliser and its raw materials is much more steep and baffling. Sulphur, the key input for phosphatic fertiliser has gone up 10 times (From 80 to 850 $ per MT) Rock Phosphate from 40 to 260 $ per MT and Urea fertiliser from 160 to 900 $ per MT. It is a minor sigh of relief that food prices globally have gone up just 180 %.

The brunt of this suspectedly planned attack has to be borne by the economies of India and China. So, it is surprising that rather than take a united stand on these issues, both these Asian superpowers (paper tigers ?) have catapulted to the marauding West (Or call it North) and have evaded a frontal attack on the planned assault like the ubiquitous ostrich burying its head in the ground. There is no effort to thwart the doom by evolving relevant technology or economic policy; it is just an abject surrender- lock, stock and barrel (Or is it Hook, line and sinker ?)

Much can be done, technology is available, but the powers that be are happy doling out and surrendering to the superpowers rather than face them square and hit back at them with the contempt and rejection they deserve. We go on justifying the upwards exponentially rising price spiral as inevitable, a result of over growth, and hide under excuses and rationalisations that such spirals are caused by biofuels and diversion of long established land use patterns away from agriculture to cash crops. Not that there is no merit in such arguments, but that these are highly exaggerated and skewed. And those who are affected most are bothered the least.

Our problems are like the Nuke deal- It is not what is apparent, but that which is silly that is eating into our vitals and pushing us from the edge of prosperity to the dungeons of penury. We have ourselves to blame, and we alone can resuurect the scenario by proper planning and imaginative implementation of our techno projects.