This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道。
Economists across the world are expressing concern about rising food prices. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization recently released its Food Price Index. The list showed that a number of foods cost more than during the world food crisis of two thousand eight. The index is at its highest level since it began in nineteen ninety.
全球经济学家对不断上涨的粮食价格表示关注。最近，联合国粮农组织发布的食品价格指数显示，许多食品价格超过了2008年全球粮食危机期间。该指数目前处于自1990年开始发布以来的最高水平。
Demonstrations and deadly food riots have broken out this month, as they did in two thousand eight.
和2008年一样，本月爆发了示威活动和致命的粮食骚乱。
The FAO predicts that world market prices for rice, wheat, barley, sugar and meat will stay high or continue rising. One reason for this is the threat of shortages caused by bad weather. Current and recent weather disasters have harmed agriculture and affected prices in several parts of the world.
粮农组织预测，全球水稻、小麦、大麦、糖和肉类的市场价格将维持高位或继续上涨。原因之一是由于恶劣天气造成的粮食短缺威胁。近期的天气灾害已对全球部分地区的农业造成损害并进而影响到价格。
For example, the current flooding in Australia has done great damage to crops in the usually fertile Queensland area. Chickpea, wheat, sorghum and corn are among the crops affected. Floods also have harmed other vegetables and fruits.
例如，澳大利亚当前的洪水已对一贯肥沃的昆士兰地区的作物造成极大损害，包括鹰嘴豆、小麦、高粱和玉米在内的农作物受灾。洪水还对其他蔬菜和水果造成了不利影响。
Local agricultural producers report that standing water could destroy up to half of next year's sugar crop. And economists say prices for the fruits and vegetables could likely increase over the next six months.
当地的农业生产者报告称，积水可能会摧毁明年超过一半的糖料产量。同时经济学家表示，未来6个月，水果和蔬菜的价格可能出现上涨。
The effects on prices from floods last year in Pakistan and China are still being felt.
去年巴基斯坦和中国的洪水对价格的影响依然存在。
Last week, Russia extended an earlier ban on wheat exports. Russia acted after heat, drought and wildfires destroyed about a third of its wheat crop last summer. The ban was placed to make sure Russians have enough wheat. The first ban caused worldwide wheat prices climb to last year by almost fifty percent.
上周，俄罗斯延长了此前对小麦出口的禁令。去年夏天，在炎热、干旱和森林大火损毁了近三分之一的小麦产量后，俄罗斯采取了禁止出口措施。该禁令是为了确保俄罗斯人有充足的小麦。最初的禁令导致去年全球小麦价格上涨了近50%。
In Algeria, the government has reduced taxes after food riots late last year and earlier this month. Among the causes of the riots were price increases for cooking oil and sugar. Several people died in the riots, and hundreds of others were injured.
在阿尔及利亚，在去年年末和本月初的粮食骚乱后，政府减少了税收。造成骚乱的原因之一就是食用油和糖料的价格上涨。数人在骚乱中丧生，几百人受伤。
Food prices are also part of economic problems to blame for the deadly riots in Tunisia.
粮食价格也是造成突尼斯致命暴乱的经济问题的一部分。
Shenggen Fan heads the International Food Policy Research Institute from its Washington, DC, office. Mr. Fan says countries must invest in making their farmers more productive. He says the world will need to feed more hungry people with less available land, water and other resources.
范盛根（Shenggen Fan，音译）是国际粮食政策研究所驻华盛顿办事处的负责人。范先生表示，各国必须积极投入提高本国农民的生产力。他说，全球将必须以更少的土地、水和其它资源来供养更多的的饥饿人口。