Rats not Rice

Robin Speer August 20, 2008 There=92s an interesting story gaining some traction in Canada this week.

According to Reuters, officials in India are encouraging people to eat rats instead of rice to alleviate some food shortage concerns. But that=92s not the most intriguing part:

=93Eating of rats will serve twin purposes =97 it will save grains from being eaten away by rats and will simultaneously increase our grain stock,=94 Vijay Prakash, an official from the state=92s welfare department, told Reuters.

Officials say almost 50 percent of India=92s food grains stocks are eaten away by rodents in fields or warehouses.

The story has been picked up by the Canadian media. Here=92s some commentary from Kevin Hursh that runs on the daily ag radio in western Canada:

It=92s estimated that nearly 50 per cent of India=92s grain stocks are eaten by rodents, either in the field or when the crop is being stored in warehouses. According to a report this week by Reuters news service, authorities in Bihar, one of India=92s poorest states, are calling on everyone to eat rats. There are even plans to offer rats on restaurant menus. Rat meat is already eaten by some people in India. The Bihar government argues that more people dining on rats will lower human consumption of grain. Plus, there will be fewer rats to eat grain. Cultural differences pertaining to animals and food are amazing. Depending upon your faith, you may not eat pork or you may not eat beef. Most people in North America are turned off by the idea of eating dogs and horses because they=92re companion animals. The aversion to rats is because they=92re dirty rodents. It is an amazing statistic though that nearly 50 per cent of the grain in India is destroyed by rodents. Makes you wonder why there are so many people who obsess about the amount of grain used to produce biofuels. I=92m Kevin Hursh.

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