"Sugar is one of the most highly protected agricultural commodities worldwide. This protection depresses trade opportunities and the prices received by exporters without preferential market access.

"Although the potential causes and consequences of recent increases in international food prices have attracted widespread attention, many existing appraisals are superficial and/or piecemeal.

The prices of maize, wheat, rice, and other crops have more than doubled over the past two years.

La demanda de biocombustibles se está incrementando debido a la necesidad cada vez mayor de energéticos, el alza en el costo del petróleo, la búsqueda de fuentes de energía renovables y no contaminantes y el deseo de aumentar los ingresos agrícola