首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
Farmers in the developing world hate price fluctuations. It makes it hard to plan ahead. But most of them have little choice: th
Farmers in the developing world hate price fluctuations. It makes it hard to plan ahead. But most of them have little choice: th
admin
2010-03-25
27
问题
Farmers in the developing world hate price fluctuations. It makes it hard to plan ahead. But most of them have little choice: they sell at the price the market sets. Farmers in Europe, the US and Japan are luckier: they receive massive government subsidies in the form of guaranteed prices or direct handouts. Last month US President Bush signed a new farm bill that gives American farmers $190 billion over the next 10 years, or $83 billion more than they had been scheduled to get, and pushes US agricultural support close to crazy European levels. Bush said the step was necessary to "promote farmer independence and preserve the farm way of life for generations". It is also designed to help the Republican Party win control of the Senate in November’s midterm elections.
Agricultural production in most poor countries accounts for up to 50% of GDP, compared to only 3% in rich countries. But most farmers in poor countries grow just enough for themselves and their families. Those who try exporting to the West find their goods whacked with huge tariffs or competing against cheaper subsidized goods. In 1999 the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development concluded that for each dollar developing countries receive in aid they lose up to $14 just because of trade barriers imposed on the export of their manufactured goods. It’s not as if the developing world wants any favours, says Gerald Ssendawula, Uganda’s Minister of Finance. "What we want is for the rich countries to let us compete."
Agriculture is one of the few areas in which the Third World can compete. Land and labour are cheap, and as farming methods develop, new technologies should improve output. This is no pie-in-the-sky speculation. The biggest success in Kenya’s economy over the past decade has been the boom in exports of cut flowers and vegetables to Europe. But that may all change in 2008, when Kenya will be slightly too rich to qualify for the "least-developed country" status that allows African producers to avoid paying stiff European import duties on selected agricultural products. With trade barriers in place, the horticulture industry in Kenya will shrivel as quickly as a discarded rose. And while agriculture exports remain the great hope for poor countries, reducing trade barriers in other sectors also works: America’s African Growth and Opportunity Act, which cuts duties on exports of everything from handicrafts to shoes, has proved a boon to Africa’s manufacturers. The lesson: the Third World can prosper if the rich world gives it a fair go.
This is what makes Bush’s decision to increase farm subsidies last month all the more depressing. Poor countries have long suspected that the rich world urges trade liberalization only so it can wangle its way into new markets. Such suspicions caused the Seattle trade talks to break down three years ago. But last November members of the World Trade Organization, meeting in Doha, Qatar, finally agreed to a new round of talks designed to open up global trade in agriculture and textiles. Rich countries assured poor countries that their concerns were finally being addressed. Bush’s handout last month makes a lie of America’s commitment to those talks and his personal devotion to free trade.
By comparison, farmers receive more government subsidies than others.
选项
A、in the developing world
B、in Japan
C、in Europe
D、in America
答案
C
解析
相比之下,欧洲农民得到政府的补贴最多。答案可以在第一段中找到。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/3TqO777K
0
专业英语八级
相关试题推荐
A、Itrequiresimaginationinlearningalanguage.B、Ittakestimeandefforttolearnalanguage.C、Theculturaldifferencesare
人们往往不明白为什么自己会在超市花那么多的钱,而且往往是用在自己最初并不想买的东西上。最近一项研究表明,75%的杂货店购物者会有至少一次的冲动性购买。他(她)们会被引人眼球的商品陈列或花花绿绿的商品包装所吸引。对这些购买者,有一个简单的方法去避免冲动性购物
Aboutthreehundredyearsago,therewereapproximatelyhalfabillionpeopleintheworld.Inthetwocenturiesthatfollowedt
Now,thelocationofyourcollege.Somecollegesareinthecenterofhugecities,some【C1】______,andsomearesurroundedbyfi
IwantthisnewschoolyeartobeagoodoneformystudentsastheylearnabouteverythingfromcalculustoShakespearetofail
A、Makethecutwideopenandwashitwithalittlewarmwater.B、Pressapieceofcottonwoolfirmlyoveritforaboutfiveminu
Americanstodayhavedifferenteatinghabitsthantheyhadinthepast.Thereisawide【C1】______offoodavailable.Theyhave
A、Manufacturers.B、Employees.C、Farmers.D、Pessimists.C
Accordingtotheauthorwhichofthefollowingisinevitable?Intheanimalkingdomthestruggleforexistence
Utopiaistheworkof______.
随机试题
影响就业率指标数值大小的因素有()
Apunctualpersonisinthehabitofdoingathingatthepropertimeandisneverlateinkeepinganappointment.Theunpun
A.腹股沟疝修补术B.胃大部切除术C.胆囊切除术D.阑尾穿孔切除术E.小肠部分切除术污染切口是指
关于成本和费用的说法中错误的是()。
秘书参与外事活动的基本原则是()。
如果要创建一个数据组分组报表,第一个分组表达式是“部门”,第二个分组表达式是“性别”,第三个分组表达式是“基本工资”,当前索引的索引表达式是()。
设函数f(x)=x2(x-1)(x-2),则f(x)的零点个数为
Whichwordcanbestdescribetheauthor’sattitudetothetworeportsfrequentlymentioned?Theword"dragoon"(Sentence2,Para
(41)是在一个公司发给另一个公司的报文上,连同报文和签名一起做一个摘要的方法。目前的产品能够做到的最高安全级别是(42)级。仔细阅读日志属于(43)的内容。在网络安全策略中,属于半主动网络安全策略的方法是(44)。在故障报告中,设备运行出现错误状态用(4
每次单击菜单编辑器中的“→”按钮可以使选定的菜单项______________。
最新回复
(
0
)