Pithaly

Commodity Online
ROME: US president’s controversial remarks on Indian middle class’s food habit seems to have boomeranged on him as the latest FAO data shows consumption by Americans has grown at a much faster rate than Indians.

According to the `global food market report` of the Food and Agricultural Organization, the growth in the cereal consumption in the US was the highest in the world in 2007-08.

The food grain consumption in the US is estimated to have increased to 310.4 million tons in 2007-08 from 277.6 million tons in the previous year, showing 11.81 percent jump.

In contrast, the consumption in India is estimated to have grown by mere 2.17 percent to 197.3 million tons from 193.1 million tons. In China the growth was 1.8 percent to 389.1 million tons from the previous 382.2 million tons.