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Junkie
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As far as any debate comparing, say, sugar cookies vs. graham crackers, I would step back and ask - a priori - that any tangential or otherwise discursive argument be framed so that the means to dissention not be obliterated.
In my travels, I have found sugar cookies to be superior to graham crackers. Ipso-facto generalizations notwithstanding, sugar cookies - having more butter content by weight than graham crackers - stomp those graham cracker fucker's asses all over town and back. It is patently obviously to anyone with a 6th grade education that sugar cookies don't have to resort to violence as a means of social change or implementation. Below is a very interesting and relevant article for making graham crackers, from a reliable media outlet, bakingsheet.blogspot.com.
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When Derrick announced the theme for this month's Sugar High Friday as molasses, I was stumped. What do you go with molasses? The things that immediately jumped to mind were ginger crinkles, ginger snaps and gingerbread - none of which fit terribly well with springtime snacking. Cakes and pies and puddings... molasses just seems to make everything heavy. Then I realised that molasses doesn't have to make things heavy. It is just often used as a sweetener in heavier things.
I've been wanting to try homemade graham crackers for some time now. I even went out and bought a cookbook, Retro Desserts by Wayne Harley Brachman, that I knew would have a recipe for it. Grahams use both honey and molasses, so the flavor of molasses isn't overwhelming. The cookies turned out to be amazingly crumbly and delicious. I didn't have 1/2 cup of graham or rye flour, as the recipe called for, so I just substituted whole wheat flour. This led the final product to have a texture strikingly similar to store-bought grahams, meaning that they were flakey and not dense. In fact, I was thrilled since a similar texture means that probably I made them correctly!
I whipped them up in the food processor in no time. The dough was incredibly easy to roll out and I'm sure it could be rerolled once to use up any scraps, though I just ate some raw and tossed the excess. The only change I would make to the recipe is to roll the crackers out thinner than the 1/4 inch called for. I aimed for 1/8 inch and they puffed up a tiny bit in the oven.
I would not hesitate to use this instead of graham cracker crumbs the next time I was in need of a pie crust.
I would say that these had a lot more flavor than store bought graham crackers and a slightly more rustic texture. They were more substantial and much tastier overall. I would make them again in a heartbeat.
I also discovered that they stay crispy when stored for several days in a airtight container, which is great because I can't imagine wanting to eat a mushy graham cracker!
The recipe was also used on an episode of Sweet Dreams. I've copied it below with my (minor) alterations, but the original can be found here.
Homemade Graham Crackers
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoon molasses
1/4 cup cold water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a food processor, mix together the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the cold butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 30 seconds or so. Add the honey, molasses, water, and vanilla. Mix until the dough startes to come together in a ball, another 30 seconds. Scrape dough out of the mixer.
Between 2 sheets of waxed or parchment paper, roll the dough 1/8-inch thick. Chill for at least 1 hour, until firm (I chilled for several hours).
Preheat oven to 350F. Retrieve dough and roll it a bit more if it is not yet 1/8-inch thick. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into 2-inch squares. Arrange the crackers on parchment lined baking sheets. With a toothpick, prick several holes in each cracker.
Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly browned at the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan.
Yield: 48 crackers
Note: If you cut the dough through but leave the squares together, you can break them up after they're baked, just like a store-bought graham!
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souce: http://bakingsheet.blogspot.com/2005...-crackers.html
Between montitoring my mailbox and surveiling my domicile, this fascist right-wing bushgovernment has gone too far with it's psy-ops campaign upon We the People! Look for Rove to psy-op-spin graham crackers to the sheeple as a safer and healthier alternative to sugar cookies, yet at the same time relentlessly pander to the Thai-dominated sugar lobby in Washington.
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Lobbying by Japanese irks industrialists
Free-trade negotiations between Thailand and Japan could collapse if Japanese negotiators continue to lobby Thai politicians instead of dealing with the country’s trade negotiators, business executives warn.
Bangkok Post
Lobbying by Japanese irks industrialists
Trade pact in danger if issues not faced
PHUSADEE ARUNMAS
5 April 2005
Free-trade negotiations between Thailand and Japan could collapse if Japanese negotiators continue to lobby Thai politicians instead of dealing with the country’s trade negotiators, business executives warn.
At the seventh round of the free trade area (FTA) talks at Khao Yai last week, the Japanese negotiators gave no response on the steel issues proposed by the Thai side, but bargained instead for other products, according to Pornsilp Patcharintanakul, chairman of the international trade committee of the Board of Trade.
Thailand has proposed to maintain a tariff of around 5% on Japanese hot-rolled steel for the first 10 years of the agreement, and to gradually reduce the rate to zero by the 15th year.
However, Commerce Minister Thanong Bidaya last week suggested that the country could make concessions on steel, given the importance of Japan’s auto industry to Thailand, a move that Thai trade negotiators said had undermined their bargaining authority.
Mr Pornsilp ??? -ed. said the Japanese side had also avoided discussions of Rules of Origin issues at the most recent meeting.
"This is tantamount to no progress, as the pact could not be put into real practice, despite the fact that tax issues were agreed on by the two sides," he said.
Korrakod Padungjit, a Board of Trade director who monitors FTA agreements, said the Rules of Origin issue should be settled before the tax issues, and the agreement should be flexible and not create new types of non-tariff barriers.
Rules of origin are important, he said, since imported raw materials account for 60% of the content of industries including steel, wheat flour, aluminium, chemicals, jewellery, canned tuna and furniture.
"We are afraid that Japan may lobby certain politicians instead of having direct talks with Thai FTA negotiators," he said. "The outcome of the lobbying would put Thai industries in serious jeopardy."
The Thai negotiating team is headed by Pisan Manawapat, the deputy permanent secretary for Foreign Affairs.
Thailand is seeking greater access in the Japanese market for agricultural products, while Japan wants greater market access and lower tariffs for a wide range of industrial products, particularly steel.
Mr Korrakod said that Mr Thanong, who is scheduled to visit Japan this coming weekend, had complicated matters with his comments about steel.
"We have asked for 10 years to improve our steel industries. But Japan wants immediate cut of steel import tariffs to zero, despite the fact that we have already cut tariff on certain steel products that could not be produced locally to 1%," said Mr Korrakod.
At the meeting last week, Japan has agreed to cut its current 6% tariff on Thai cooked chicken in half, increase annual tapioca starch quotas to 200,000 tonnes from 70,000, and end the current 9.6% tariff on canned tuna within five years.
Other concessions include an immediate elimination of tariffs on Thai fruit imports and an increase in molasses quotas to 4,000 tonnes in three years and 5,000 tonnes in the fourth year. Japan has also increased its banana quota to 3,000 tonnes in the first year, and 6,000 tonnes in the fifth year, while Thailand promised to exclude Japan’s sensitive items such as sugar, canned pineapple,and rice.
According to Mr Pornsilp, Tokyo’s agreement on certain Thai products might result in only an "insignificant" increase in Thai export values as those Thai products were already competitive in the Japanese market.
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souce: http://www.bilaterals.org/article.php3?id_article=1590
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WORLD SUGAR SITUATION
World sugar production and trade in 1998/99 are each forecast to increase 3 percent, respectively, from the previous year’s levels. India and Brazil account for nearly 75 percent of the increase in production. Expected record exports from Brazil, South Africa, Australia, and Guatemala, as well as higher exports from Cuba, will more than offset expected lower shipments from the European Union and Thailand. World sugar consumption in 1998/99 is forecast at a record 127.5 million tons, up 2 percent from the previous year’s level. The demand for sugar is expected to remain strong in South America and Asia.
Summary
Production
The 1997/98 world sugar production estimate has been increased since December by 1.8 million metric tons to a record 124.1 million tons. Larger production estimates for China, India, EU, and Pakistan account for this increase. However, Cuba's and Thailand's sugar production estimates for 1997/98 were reduced by 900,000 and 380,000 tons respectively.
World centrifugal sugar production in 1998/99 is forecast at a record 128.0 million tons (raw value), up 3 percent from the revised 1997/98 output. Sugar produced from sugarcane is forecast at a record 90.8 million tons, up 5 percent from last season, and sugar processed from sugar beets is forecast at 37.2 million, down 1 percent from last season, and 9 percent less than the record 41.1 million tons produced in 1990/91. India accounts for more than 50 percent of the increase in world sugar production.
Trade
World sugar trade in 1998/99 is forecast at a record 36.6 million metric tons, 3 percent above the previous season's revised shipments. Record exports are forecast from Brazil, with that country accounting for more than 40 percent of the increase in world exports. Higher exports are also expected from South Africa, Cuba, Australia and Guatemala. Lower exports from Thailand and the EU are expected to partially offset the above export increases. Leading importers of sugar are expected to be the EU, the United States, and Russia.
Consumption
World sugar consumption in 1998/99 is forecast at a record 127.5 million tons, 2 percent above the previous year's level. The expected increase is based on likely strong demand in the largest consuming countries, including India, the United States, China, and Brazil.
Stocks
The world sugar ending stock estimate for 1997/98 was increased by 2.3 million tons to 25.8 million tons based on higher than expected production.
U.S. Raw Sugar Tariff Rate Quota
1997/98 Allocations
(Metric tons, Raw Value)
Country Quota Allocation
CURRENT ALLOCATION
Argentina 65,563
Australia 126,552
Barbados 7,830
Belize 16,772
Bolivia 12,198
Brazil 221,084
Colombia 36,593
Congo 7,258
Costa Rica 22,871
Cote d'Ivoire 7,258
Dominican Republic 268,350
Ecuador 16,772
El Salvador 39,643
Fiji 13,722
Gabon 7,258
Guatemala 73,186
Guyana 18,297
Haiti 7,258
Honduras 15,247
India 12,198
Jamaica 16,772
Madagascar 7,258
Malawi 15,247
Mauritius 18,297
Mexico (1) 25,000
Mozambique 19,821
Nicaragua 32,019
Panama 44,217
Papau New Guinea 7,258
Paraguay 7,258
Peru 62,513
Philippines 205,837
South Africa 35,069
Saint Kitts & Nevis 7,258
Swaziland 24,395
Taiwan 18,297
Thailand 21,346
Trinidad & Tobago 10,673
Uruguay 7,258
Zimbabwe 18,297
Total 1,600,000
Note: totals may not add due to rounding.
North America
United States
U.S. sugar production in 1998/99 is forecast at 7.2 million tons, an increase of 1 percent from last year's production. U.S. production of sugar processed from sugarbeets in 1998/99 is forecast at 3.9 million tons, up 3 percent from 1997, while sugar produced from sugarcane is projected at 3.3 million tons, down 1 percent.
U. S. sugar exports in 1998/99 are forecast at 136,000 tons, down 19 percent from the previous year's shipments. The U. S. ships mainly to Canada, Mexico, and Jamaica.
For fiscal year 1998, the United States allocated 1.6 million tons of sugar under the raw sugar tariff rate quota (TRQ) (see table on this page). Throughout the year, according to stocks-to-use ratio published in the WASDE, tranches of 200,000 tons were canceled or allocated. During FY 1998, the January tranche was canceled, while the March and May tranches were allocated.
Canada
Canadian sugar production in 1998/99 is forecast at 110,000 tons, up 16 percent from last year. Canada’s sole sugarbeet processing facility is being modernized and expanded, with the first phase to be completed in time for the 1998 harvest, and the second phase in 1999. In light of the additional capacity, Rogers Sugar is contracting with the Alberta Sugarbeet Growers for 16,923 hectares of sugarbeets in 1998/99. Completion of the plant expansion will enable Alberta sugarbeet area to rise to 20,250 hectares in 1999/00. In Ontario, Michigan Sugar has contracted with sugarbeet growers for 2,571 hectares of production.
Imports of raw sugar in 1998/99 are expected to approximate the previous year’s level. Most refined sugar imports enter Canada under a duty drawback arrangement that requires their subsequent re-export in the form of further processed products. With only minor production of sugarbeets and anti-dumping and countervailing duties limiting imports of refined sugar from the United States and the European Union, Canadian refined sugar demand is met largely through processing of imported raw sugar.
Canadian refined sugar exports go primarily to the United States. Pursuant to a September 1997 understanding between the two Governments, the United States has allocated to Canada a 10,300 ton share of the U.S. refined sugar tariff rate quota (TRQ) and a 59,250 ton share of the U.S. sugar containing products TRQ.
Mexico
Mexican sugar production for 1998/99 is forecast at 5.1 million tons, up 1 percent from the previous season. The projected increase is due to higher cane yields as harvested area is expected to remain the same as last season.
Imports for 1998/99 are expected to remain
unchanged at 80,000 tons. Industry sources indicate that imports are mainly a way for producers to recuperate from low priced export losses and keep sugar mills working. It is important to note that domestic prices are higher than prices for sugar on the international market.
Exports for 1998/99 are forecast at a record 950,000 tons, up 6 percent from the previous season’s shipments because of increased sugar production and almost flat domestic demand. Sugar exports to the United States under the U.S. quota for 1997/98 are expected to approximate 25,000 tons, including both raw and refined sugar. The Mexican sugar industry, however, is pressing the Mexican Government for greater access to the U.S. market, equivalent to the formerly relatively free access to the Mexican market for HFCS. However, the application of anti-dumping tariffs on imports of HFCS from the United States have nearly stopped imports of HFCS into Mexico.
Domestic consumption of sugar for 1998/99 is expected to remain unchanged at 4.24 million tons. Sugar consumption has not been growing due to competition from alternative imported and domestic sweeteners. The soft drink industry estimates its sugar needs for 1998 at about 1.2 to 1.4 million tons plus about 300,000 to 400,000 tons of HFCS. The soft drink industry first began to use HFCS in 1996.
Caribbean/Central/South America
Cuba
Cuba’s 1998/99 sugar production is forecast at 3.5 million tons, up 17 percent from the reduced 1997/98 output. Industry sources indicate that the 1997/98 season was plagued by weather, poor management, shortage of fertilizers and other inputs plus old, outdated factories that have severely hindered production.
Cuba’s sugar exports in 1998/99 are forecast
to increase 22 percent to 2.8 million tons based on the expected larger harvest. If these exports are realized, Cuba would be the world’s fourth largest sugar exporter in 1998/99.
Guatemala
Guatemala’s sugar production in 1998/99 is forecast at a record 1.89 million tons, up 10 percent from last year’s revised outturn of 1.72 million tons. This increase is attributed to a 5 percent increase in sugarcane area and higher sugar recovery rates.
Sugar exports in 1998/99 are forecast at a record 1.4 million tons, 4 percent above the previous season’s shipments. Domestic consumption is projected at 467,000 tons up 4 percent from the previous year. Per capita consumption of sugar is estimated at 40 kilograms. Alternative sweeteners and other alternative sugar products are not significant factors in domestic consumption. Currently the domestic market consumes an average of 26 percent of total production for industrial use and 74 percent for direct consumption. The soft drink industry is the major consumer of sugar, consuming 45,500 tons in 1997 out of the 68,000 tons consumed by the industrial sector. The remaining 22,500 tons were used in industries such as bakeries, juices, wineries, dairy products, and pharmaceuticals.
Brazil
Brazilian sugar production for 1998/99 is forecast at a record 16.3 million tons, 5 percent above the previous season’s output. The Center-South is expected to contribute 12.6 million tons to the total, with the remainder coming from the North-Northeast. The total amount of sugarcane for crushing in 1998/99 is forecast at 288 million tons, down 4 percent from last season. Sugarcane utilized for sugar production is forecast at 110 million tons, up 2 percent from 1997/98, while sugarcane utilized for alcohol is forecast at 178 million tons, down 7 percent from the previous season. In spite of the projected lower volume of total sugarcane for crushing, a shift in production from alcohol to sugar is expected to occur because of large alcohol stocks.
Brazilian sugar exports for 1998/99 are forecast at a record 7.1 million tons, 6 percent above 1997/98 shipments based on expected higher sugar production. However, sugar industry sources expect sugar export earnings to decrease despite an increase in the volume of exports due to likely lower prices. International sugar prices are expected to be lower because of expected larger world sugar production in 1998/99. The North-Northeast is a traditional raw sugar exporter. The Center-South and Center-West are expected to increase raw sugar production for export.
Ending sugar stocks for 1997/98 have been reduced by 15 percent, due to higher than expected sugar consumption and exports. Some stock re-building is likely in 1998/99 because of the expected larger Brazilian harvest.
The sugar-alcohol sector faces a critical problem regarding its capacity to store the excess alcohol production from the 1997/98 season. Estimates for the ending alcohol stocks vary from 1.2 to 1.8 billion liters. The Brazilian Government (GOB) has recently purchased 90 million liters of alcohol from the North-Northeast, without resolving the storage capacity issue. The sugar-alcohol producers are asking the GOB to purchase surplus alcohol production. However, even if the GOB purchases a part of the stocks, the storage problem will remain since the GOB does not have enough storage tanks to accommodate the high volume of alcohol. If alcohol stocks remain in the hands of the millers, they will likely have problems in storing alcohol produced in the upcoming season. The Sugar and Alcohol Millers Association of Sao Paulo State (UNICA) has advocated the export of surplus alcohol to the United States. Last February, UNICA officials made a presentation in which they proposed a partnership between Brazilian and American ethanol producers. The project proposes that Brazilian ethanol be marketed in current MTBE powered vehicle niches such as in California with a guarantee to supply these niches for a 2 year period. During this interim, American ethanol producers would expand production to meet American domestic ethanol demand, replacing the Brazilian product
European Union
Total sugar production in the European Union for 1998/99 is forecast at 18.3 million tons, 5 percent below last year’s revised outturn. The projected decline reflects reduced area and a return to average sugar yields. In the last half of 1997/98, several upward revisions were made in production due to higher yields resulting from excellent weather in a number of EU countries. The largest yield increases occurred in Finland, France, Italy, Belgium, and Denmark.
The basic tools of the EU’s sugar policy are: 1) import restrictions with limited free access for certain suppliers; 2)internal support prices that ensure returns to producers for a fixed quantity of production and permit maintenance of refining capacity; and 3) export subsidies for a quantity of domestically produced sugar. EU member states allocate an "A" and a "B" quota to each sugar-producing operation, each isoglucose operation and each inulin syrup-producing operation established in their territory. Current quota levels have been in place since the accession of Austria, Sweden, and Finland to the EU and are currently legislated at these levels until 2000/01. "C sugar", "C isoglucose", and "C inulin syrup" refer to any quantity of sugar, isoglucose or inulin syrup produced outside the sum of total A and B quotas. Policy makers are satisfied with the current sugar program, but EU industrial users of sugar favor sugar policy reform. The large gap between EU and world sugar prices, they say, is the result of rigid import quotas that prevent them from buying sugar at world prices.
Since July, 1995, a system of import duties increasing in line with the difference between the world import price and the trigger price have been in place. Import tariffs from January 1, 1998 to June 30, 1998 are 382 ECU/ton for raw sugar for refining and 472 ECU/ton for other raw sugar and refined sugar. "Preferential sugar" can be imported at zero duty. The total duty-free import quota is 1.3 million tons (white sugar equivalent). In addition to preferential and special preferential imports, the Commission also sets an annual tariff quota, called "MFN quota" for the supply of raw cane sugar to Community refineries.
Producer levies ensure that the EU sugar system is self-financing to a large extent. Community funding, however, is provided for
export subsidies for a quantity of sugar equal to the EU’s "preferential imports". Payments are made out of the Guarantee Section of the EU Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund and amount to about ECU 600 million annually. Since 1995/96, subsidized exports of sugar to third countries are limited, in volume and in value, under the GATT commitments.
Human consumption of white sugar is estimated at 34 kg per person in 1997/98, virtually the same as the previous year. Contrary to other regions in the world, the EU domestic sugar market can be characterized as a saturated market. Exports from the EU in 1998/99 are forecast at 6.0 million tons, down 6 percent from last season based on lower supplies. Imports are forecast to remain unchanged at 1.8 million tons.
Eastern Europe/Former Soviet Union
Poland
Sugar production in Poland in 1998/99 is forecast at 1.9 million tons, down 16 percent from last year’s outturn. The reason for the decline is lower prices paid to farmers for sugarbeet production within quota and less favorable weather. Despite flood losses and reduced planted area, good growing conditions resulted in a relatively large 1997 beet crop with high sugar content.
Poland’s sugar exports in 1998/99 are forecast at 217,000 tons, less than half the volume exported in 1997/98. Poland is generally self-sufficient in sugar and usually has some exportable supplies. Imports occur occasionally, particularly during years of low production. Because of relatively high prices in the domestic market, relatively cheap sugar from Czech and Slovak Republics was imported in 1997 in fairly significant quantities.
Sugar consumption in Poland is estimated at approximately 41 kilograms per capita (raw value) in 1996/97. Sugar consumption has gradually increased over the past three years. However, direct sugar consumption has declined in recent years while, at the same time, industrial consumption has increased as production of products containing sugar has expanded. Total domestic consumption in 1997/98 is estimated at 1.82 million tons, 2 percent more than the previous year.
Russia
Sugar production in Russia in 1998/99 is forecast at 1.6 million tons, up 23 percent from the revised 1997/98 outturn, but down 6 percent from the 1996/97 output. The downward revision in the 1997/98 crop was a result of heavy rains which damaged the crop during the growing season and ultimately left almost a third of the crop in the field after harvest.
Russian sugar imports in 1998/99 are forecast at 3.7 million tons, up 14 percent from the previous year. To prevent over-imports, the Union of Russian Sugar Producers is lobbying the Government to limit sugar imports. The Agricultural Ministry is concerned that unregulated imports of raw sugar may exceed local refinery capacity since the Russian processing industry is able to process 3.5 million tons annually.
Retail sugar prices bottomed out in March 1997, just before the introduction of a 25 percent tariff on white sugar imported from some CIS members. Prior to this action, all CIS members, including the Ukraine, enjoyed duty free access to the Russian market for refined sugar. Soon after the installation of the 25 percent tariff, prices started increasing and reached their peak in September 1997, prior to when newly processed sugar appeared on the market. Russian sugar producers are concerned about refined sugar imports from the Ukraine because production costs in that country are significantly lower than in Russia. Industry officials believe that Russian sugar producers
can not compete with Ukrainian production. In 1998, Ukraine is expected to deliver 600,000 tons of sugar to Russia, under a zero duty quota. The imports must be of Ukrainian origin and produced from beets.
Domestic consumption of sugar for 1998/99 is forecast at 4.9 million tons, up 8 percent from the previous season. Annual per capita consumption was 32 kilos in 1997.
Ukraine
Sugar production in the Ukraine for 1998/99 is forecast at 2.4 million tons, up 16 percent from last year’s very poor output, the lowest in 40 years. Sugarbeet production fell to 17.7 million tons due to an unusually wet autumn, deteriorating farm machinery and other input constraints. The area planted to sugarbeets also continued to decline. The difference between the area planted and area harvested remained wide and has exceeded 100,000 hectares in recent years. This dilemma is attributed to on-farm losses stemming from a lack of farming input resources.
In an effort to protect the domestic sugar market the Government placed a 50 percent duty on all types of imported sugar. A recent proposal to cut the import duty to 15 percent is still being debated.
Sugar exports in 1998/99 are forecast at 800,000 tons, up 41 percent from the previous season’s shipments based on the expected larger harvest. Besides Russia, other destinations for Ukrainian sugar are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Republic of Georgia, and other central Asian countries. A proposal currently being discussed is lowering the sugar export price which would reduce sugar exports.
Sugar consumption continues to decline. However, should the price of sugar on the local market increase moderately, this could slow exports and mean that the 600,000 ton tax-free Russian quota may not be filled. This quota is
very important to the Ukraine because of the need to purchase Russian tax-free commodities such as fuel and timber.
The Government said that barter trading relations were the major reason for declines in the sugar industry. Because of a lack of funds, farmers were paid in sugar for sugarbeets delivered to processors. The Government attempted to get producer-processor relationships back on a monetary basis failed last year because of a lack of finances. Most likely the ban on barter trading will be lifted in 1998, resulting in farmer held sugar undercutting factory held sugar in the market place.
Africa
South Africa
Sugar production in South Africa in 1998/99 is forecast at a record 2.7 million tons, 5 percent above the previous record in 1997/98. The increase is attributed to above-average, but timely rainfall, and a 3 percent increase in harvested area.
Over the past season, growers have been faced with significant changes in legislation that affect much of their activities. Among these are, water rights, conditions of employment of farm workers, environmental issues, and land reform. The rewrite of the Sugar Industry Act in 1994 substantially reduced the legislation governing sugarcane production. The present A and B pool quota system terminates at the end of the current 1998 season and the industry will then operate under free market conditions.
South Africa’s 1998/99 sugar exports are forecast at a record 1.28 million tons, 10 percent above the previous season’s shipments. South African sugar exports made a dramatic recovery in the 1996/97 season as production recovered following four years of drought.
Asia
China
Chinese sugar production in 1998/99 is forecast at a record 8.8 million tons, more than 2 percent above the previous season’s outturn and 6 percent higher than the previous record of 8.3 million in 1992/93. The reason for the increase is due to an expected 3 percent increase in sugar produced from sugarcane. Although China produces both sugarcane and sugarbeets, sugar from sugarcane accounts for over 80 percent of total sugar output.
Chinese sugar exports in 1998/99 are forecast at 742,000 tons, 10 percent above the previous season’s shipments. To help the sugar industry recover from losses caused by low domestic prices during the past three years, and to stimulate increased production, the Government is expected to promote sugar exports while controlling sugar imports in 1998. Chinese imports are expected to decline in 1998/99 to 1.4 million, 8 percent less than the previous season.
Sugar consumption has grown rapidly in China since the 1980's, due to rising incomes and increased production of processed foods containing sugar. Per capita sugar consumption is estimated to have grown from 4.5 kg in 1980 to about 7.5 kg in 1997. However, increased production of alternative sweeteners in recent years has substituted for sugar. China produces 100,000 tons for chemical sweeteners each year and production continues to increase due to increasing demand from soft drink and confectionary industries. Since artificial sweeteners, especially saccharin, are much less expensive than sugar, these products are consumed by the majority of China’s 800 million farmers.
India
In India, sugar production for the 1998/99 season is forecast at 16.3 million tons, 15 percent above last season’s outturn, but 10 percent below the 18.2 million ton record set in 1995/96. The projected increase is due to higher sugarcane prices and prompt payment by mills to farmers during the current season. Various financial support programs provided sugar mills by the central and some state governments, combined with higher sugar prices during the later half of the 1996/97 season, helped to alleviate the financial situation of most sugar mills, enabling them to pay their sugarcane payment arrears to farmers before the 1997/98 season started.
Due to tight domestic supplies, the Government did not establish a sugar export quota for 1997/98. Exports in 1997/98 are likely to be confined to preferential quota countries, estimated at 50,000 tons. In 1996/97, the Government established an export quota of 1.0 million tons, but actual exports totaled only 740,000 tons, due to increased domestic demand. In the past, exports were subsidized when necessary by spreading losses among the mills. Following the liberalization of sugar exports in January 1997, exports by private mills were not viable without subsidies. Exports during the upcoming season will depend on the competitiveness of Indian sugar vis a vis sugar from other origins.
Sugar stocks held by mills at the beginning of March 1998 were 9.4 million tons compared to 10.0 million a year ago. Ending stocks in 1997/98 are estimated at 5.9 million tons, compared to 7.0 million in 1996/97. Despite the forecast increase in the sugar production in 1998/99, likely lower imports and continued growth in domestic consumption are expected to further reduce stocks. Sugar consumption has been growing at an average rate of 3-4 percent during the past few years, about twice the rate of population growth.
Pakistan
Sugar production in Pakistan in 1998/99 is forecast at 3.7 million tons, up 3 percent from the 1997/98 output, based on a 3 percent increase in planted area. Sugarcane, to be diverted for the manufacture of non-centrifugal sugar, is expected to remain at last year’s level as mill prices are expected to give farmers higher returns. Sugarcane area in 1997/98 was up 18 percent compared to the previous year, because of improved producer returns and a 46 percent increase in the sugarcane support price.
Sugar exports in 1998/99 are forecast at 600,000 tons, 12 percent above the previous season. This forecast is based on increased sugar production and more favorable
international prices. Pakistan has been requested by the United Nations to supply of 300,000 tons of sugar to Iraq. The Government is considering various options to fulfill this request. The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association has asked the Government to allow the export of sugar to Central Asian States by road through Afghanistan.
Consumption of centrifugal sugar during 1998/99 is forecast to increase 3 percent to 3.2 million tons. This increase is based on a 3 percent rise in the population, estimated at 149.94 million, including the population of the Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir and Afghan refugees.
Thailand
Thailand’s sugar production for 1998/99 is forecast at 4.2 million tons, virtually the same as in the previous season’s output, but 32 percent less than the 6.2 million ton outturn in 1995/96. Thailand’s 1998/99 sugarcane output is projected at 42 million tons, about the same as the revised 1997/98 estimate. The weather has been very dry since the 1997 monsoon season ended in October and very little rain has been reported in the first quarter of 1998. As a result, the ratoon and new planting of sugarcane on unirrigated land will likely be affected, reducing sugarcane yields.
Exports in 1998/99 are forecast at 2.6 million tons, down 16 percent from last year due to reduced supplies. Sugar is one of Thailand’s major export products. Quota C (export) sales are concluded 6 months prior to the crushing season in November by seven exporting companies. The Thai Cane and Sugar Corporation is designed to handle long-term contracts and is responsible for pricing and selling the 800,000 ton of raw sugar under quota B. More than 50 percent of 1997/98 quota B, sugar has already been sold at an average price of 12.48 cents per pound.
Domestic consumption of sugar is projected to increase by 3 percent in 1998/99. Industrial consumption is currently about 30 percent of utilization. Per capita consumption increased 5 percent, from 26.3 kilograms in 1996 to 27.5 kilograms in 1997. Sugar consumption increased in line with the expansion of pharmaceutical products and the food and bakery industries. About 70 percent of local consumption is in the form of direct household consumption, 10 percent by the beverage industry, 6 percent for dairy products, 4 percent for food and fruit products, and the remainder used in other forms. Stocks are expected to decrease significantly in 1998/98 and 1998/99 due to expected higher exports and domestic consumption.
The use of high fructose syrup (HFS) continues to expand. The current sole factory producing HFS in Thailand expects production capacity to reach 200 tons per day in 1998/99. Output of HFS is estimated at 54,000 tons in 1997 and is forecast at 55,000 tons in 1998.
Australia
Sugar production in Australia in 1998/99 is forecast at a record 5.97 million tons, slightly above the 1997/98 output. The Australian sugar industry is currently in an expansionary phase, with land assigned to sugarcane area growing significantly and new growers entering the industry. The Australian sugar refining industry is also undergoing a period of change as a number of joint ventures have resulted in increased refining capacity.
Australian sugar exports are forecast at a record 4.9 million tons in 1998/99, 4 percent above 1997/98 shipments. Canada is Australia’s’s largest sugar customer, while the Korean Republic displaced Japan as the second largest export market.
The rapid growth in sugar consumption in Asia has prompted the Australian sugar industry to move its focus to that region. Asia accounted for around two thirds of the industry’s exports in 1995/96 and 1996/97, compared to just over 30 percent in the 1970's. The current Asian economic crisis, though, may make it more difficult to export to Asia. The Australian industry is, nevertheless, confident that although sales may slow, it’s traditional customers are expected to have demand for sugar that approximates the previous year’s imports.
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source: http://www.fas.usda.gov/htp2/sugar/1.../worldsit.html
Now we see a recipe, from an untouchable source, for the "best ever sugar cookies." Well worth the read.
Quote:
BEST EVER SUGAR COOKIES
1 1/2 c. sifted confectioners' sugar
1 c. butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond flavoring
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
Cream butter and sugar, stir in eggs and flavoring. Stir together dry ingredients - add to butter mixture, blend thoroughly. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.
Bake at 375 degrees cutting out in holiday shapes until golden brown. Decorate.
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Another very worthwhile sugar cookie recipe, in french. This time with chocolate added. Is there no place for dissent in the culinary arts???
Quote:
Les meilleurs biscuits au chocolat
J'ai essayé toutes sortes de recettes de biscuits au chocolat. Certaines contiennent énormément de sucre (jusqu'à une tasse, en plus du chocolat). Pour quelqu'un qui souhaite faire plus attention à son alimentation, ce n'est pas l'idéal...
De plus, j'ai toujours du mal à garder mes biscuits maison pendant un moment... Ils deviennent secs rapidement et moi, je préfère les biscuits tendres... De plus, ma recette se congèle aisément, si bien que j'en fais toujours plus et que je les garde au congélateur... Je les dégèle à mesure.
Lorsque j'ai pris mon premier appartement, il y a quelques années, les livres de recettes ont atterris chez moi en quantités astronomiques. Donné, prêtés (et jamais rendus), trouvé, acheté, etc... J'ai des recettes de tous les genres, en plus d'une tonne de livres dont je ne me servirai jamais...
Il y a quelques mois, j'ai réellement commencé à cuisiner. On a mangé brésilien, italien, mexicain, etc, etc. Dans un des livres de cuisine qui a aterri chez moi, j'ai trouvé cette recette de biscuits. On dirait de vrais petits gâteaux, qui contiennent moins de sucre et de gras (remplacé par du yogourt nature).
La recette provient donc du livre Les 250 meilleures recettes de Weight Watchers paru aux éditions de l'Homme. Étonnament, c'est la meilleure recette de biscuits que j'ai trouvé! Je l'ai modifiée légèrement. J'ai donc décidé de la partager avec vous, surtout que je l'ai promis à Ophélie!
Biscuits aux grains de chocolat - donne 24 biscuits (ça m'en donne toujours plus...)
500 ml (2 tasses) de farine tout usage
50 ml (1/4 tasse) de poudre de cacao
5 ml (1 c. à thé) de bicarbonate de soude
1 ml (1/4 c. à thé) de sel
125 ml (1/2 tasse) de cassonade bien tassée
50 ml (1/4 tasse) de margarine dure sans sel
2 oeufs
175 ml (3/4 tasse) de yogourt nature sans matières grasses
5 ml (1 c. à thé) d'extrait de vanille
250 ml (1 tasse) de grains de chocolat mi-sucré
1. Préchauffer le four à 190°c (375°F)
2. Dans un bol moyen, mélanger la farine, le cacao, le bicarbonate de soude et le sel.
3. Dans un grand bol, avec le batteur à main à vitesse élevée, battre la cassonade, la margarine et les oeufs jusqu'à consistance légère et mousseuse. Avec le batteur à main à faible vitesse, incorporer doucement les ingrédients secs, le yogourt, la vanille et les grains de chocolat. Mélanger juste assez pour obtenir une pâte homogène (ne pas trop mélanger).
4. Faire 24 biscuits (ou plus!) en versant la pâte avec une cuiller à soupe (moi j'utilise deux cuillers, une pour prendre le mélange, l'autre pour râcler) sur 2 plaques à biscuits non graissées. Cuire sur la grille centrale du four, environ 8 à 10 minutes, jusqu'à ce que les biscuits soient fermes. Laisser refroidir complètement.
Bon appétit!
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source: http://lemondedallie.canalblog.com/a...13/434891.html
Sugar Cookie, wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_cookie
Graham Cracker, wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_cracker
Thai Sugar Lobby: http://www.thedailystar.net/2005/07/13/d50713050951.htm
Israeli Sugar Lobby: http://www.danieldrezner.com/mt/mt-c...?entry_id=2642
Brazilian sugar lobbies are in on it as well. As far as I'm concerned, there should be no shortage of individual skeptisism and verbal diahhreah from the one country supposedly regarded as the "most obese nation in the world".
Quote:
Sugar Quotas
An ec 10 student emails to ask for some information about U.S. sugar quotas. I am not an expert on the subject, but here is what I know.
Most economists view U.S. policies toward sugar as a deplorable departure from the principles of free trade. About a year ago, The Economist magazine summed up the situation as follows:
Outrageous import quotas keep the domestic price of sugar at double that of the world price. CAFTA [the Central America Free Trade Agreement] would allow more imports in from Central American countries, but still less than 2% of US sugar production. For the sugar lobby—and the 15 or so Republican politicians who follow its bidding—that is still too much.
See also George Will's old column on the topic and this Reuters article on the current situation.
The economics here is straightforward. It is a standard case of protectionism for the benefit of politically powerful domestic producers (including the producers of sugar substitutes, such as corn syrup). The losers are American consumers and farmers in developing nations.
One interesting wrinkle is that sugar is used to make ethanol. If the United States had truly free trade, we would be enjoying not only cheaper soft drinks but also cheaper fuel, as Harvard historian Niall Ferguson (alternate link) pointed out in yesterday's LA Times. In a column called "Put some sugar in your tank," he writes:
Unnoticed in the northern hemisphere, one country is pioneering a transportation revolution by switching from petrol to ethanol. That country is Brazil.
What's preventing the northern hemisphere from following Brazil's lead? The answer is not so much Big Oil -- though American oil companies have fought tooth and nail against the introduction of ethanol, even as a fuel additive -- as Small Agriculture. To protect northern farmers, huge tariffs are currently imposed on imports of Brazilian-produced ethanol by both the United States and the European Union.
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Graham crackers, being founded by a religious person, need to be banned outright by judicial legislation. If not, then the repsonsibility lies soley with We, the People to change the course of history this accursed nation is heading. No more psy-ops, no more fox news rhetoric, no more rovespeak! I'm fucking sick of this partisan shit! We need to join together TODAY to end this motherfucking bullshit!
Quote:
http://news.neilrogers.com/news/arti...006081211.html
Why Al Qaeda loves the Graham Crackers
by Evan Derkacz
Link to Article
The Republicans are trotting out the same old canard from '04 when Cheney claimed that a vote for Kerry would be a vote for another 9/11: "It's absolutely essential that eight weeks from today, on November 2nd, that we make the right choice, because if we make the wrong choice then the danger is that we'll get hit again."
This time, both Cheney and Snow are turning reality into a pretzel by claiming that the antiwar Ned Lamont is encouraging Al Qaeda by advocating for the removal of Al Qaeda's greatest recruiting commercial ever: American troops in Iraq.
Well, two HUGE, though relatively unknown pieces of information from Ron Suskind's One Percent Doctrine put that lie to that thinking.
First, back in 2003, the CIA and NSA learned something interesting which Suskind characterized as "another growing consensus" and " a conclusion that was the last thing anyone in the White House wanted publicized": That Al Qaeda might not even want to attack the U.S. With 9/11 their work was essentially done. They provoked the sleeping bear into a clumsy and stupid quagmire. They'd set the ball rolling and set themselves to assisting the big bear in hastening its own demise.
The second, that Bin Laden helped Bush's reelection. CIA concluded immediately after bin Laden's pre-election message that it was designed to help Bush. According to Suskind, CIA's John McLaughlin immediately concluded that "bin Laden certainly did Bush a big favor today." Watch Suskind lay it out in the clip... (transcript below the fold)
BLITZER: Let's talk about the CIA conclusion that you report that Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda, wanted President Bush re-elected in 2004. You write this: "What the CIA had learned over nearly a decade is that bin Laden speaks only for strategic reasons and those reasons are debated with often startling depths inside the organization's leadership. Today's conclusion: bin Laden's message was clearly designed to assist the president's re-election."
Why would Osama bin Laden want President Bush re-elected?
SUSKIND: The debate in the CIA on that Friday and through the weekend right before the election is one that essentially points out these -- these factors. Often leaders, for instance, the Soviets, liked Nixon. They liked his predictability. They knew their opponent.
In other cases it was bin Laden and Bush are kind of a match set. Bush has provided an enormous value in terms of recruitment in the Arab world. Bin Laden essentially is in a pitched dialogue -- in history in years later, we'll look back on this, Wolf, and say essentially it's these two characters...
BLITZER: You're saying the CIA formally concluded that bin Laden wanted Bush re-elected. SUSKIND: Well, look -- absolutely true. And that day at the meeting John McLaughlin says, well, you know, bin Laden certainly did Bush a big favor today. And the analysis flowed essentially along those lines.
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In closing, I just want to say "psy-ops" one last time.
PSY-OPS. |