REFLECTIONS
BY THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF
FOR
THE DEAF WHO WON’T LISTEN
A summary of the FAO
declaration from its headquarters in
World cereal production is on track to
reach a record level in 2007. In spite
of this, supplies will be barely adequate to meet increased demand, boosted by
the development of the biofuels industry.
International prices for most cereals have
risen significantly in 2006-07 and the current forecast shows that prices will
stay high in 2007-08, according to the relevant report “Crop Perspectives and
Food Situation”. It is forecast that the
cereal import bill of the low-income food deficit countries will increase by
about 25 percent in the current season.
The rapid growth of the demand for maize-based
ethanol is expected to increase by 9 percent the use of that grain in 2007-08.
Expectations for the world wheat harvest
are down slightly since the April forecast.
In North Africa, a sharp decline is
expected in 2007 cereal production, reflecting dry conditions in Morocco that
are anticipated to halve the country’s wheat production this year.
In
In
Emergency assistance is required for large
numbers of vulnerable farmers in
The flare up of conflict in southern
A first provisional FAO forecast for world
production of rice in 2007 points to a slightly improved harvest with some 422
millions of tons, thus matching the 2005 record.
Except for
FAO recognizes the consequences of
producing food-based fuels. That is
something.
But it is also remarkable to see the news
that the United States Congress decided to replace 23 thousand incandescent
light bulbs with fluorescent throughout its offices. It is said that American families, on their
own volition, have decided to replace 37 million incandescent light bulbs with
fluorescent. In just a few months, the
37 million replaced light bulbs will save the equivalent cost of gasoline for
260,000 automobiles. Calculate the
savings when billions of incandescent light bulbs are replaced.
I shall digress now to tackle a topic
which deals with my person, and I ask for your indulgence.
The news dispatches talk of an
operation. My compatriots were not too
happy that I explained on more than one occasion that my recovery would not be
without its risks. Generally speaking,
there was talk about a date when I would make a public appearance, dressed in
my olive green fatigues as usual. Well
then, it was not just one operation but several. Initially, it was not successful and this
implicated a prolonged recovery period.
For many months, I relied on intravenous
procedures and catheters for the greater part of my nutrition, and I wanted to
spare our people an unpleasant disappointment. Today I receive everything
required by my recovery orally. There is
no danger greater than that related to age and to a state of health which I
abused during some of the hazardous times I lived through. Nowadays I do what I
should be doing, especially reflecting and writing about issues which, to my
mind, have some importance and transcendence.
I have a lot pending. For the
present, I do not have time for films and photos that require me to constantly
trim my hair, beard and moustache, and to get dressed up every day. Moreover, such presentations multiply
requests for interviews. Let me simply
say to everyone that my health has been improving and my weight is stable at
around 80 kilos.
I try to keep the reflections as brief as
possible so as not to take much space from the press and television news
programs. The rest of the time I am reading, receiving information, talking on
the phone with many much comrades and carrying out the rehab exercises that are
necessary for my recovery. I cannot say
or criticize everything that I know, because if I did so, human and
international relations would be impossible, and our country cannot do without
them. But I shall be true to the motto
of never writing a lie.
Fidel Castro Ruz