CONCERNS about food security mounted, as rice prices hit records in Asia and the United Nations warned that staples for the world’s hungry were getting much more expensive.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was set today to lead a concerted effort by 27 key U.N. agencies to tackle the growing crisis caused by a worldwide sharp rise in basic foodstuff prices.

The United Nations will have a two-day conference in the Swiss capital Bern to reveal a battle plan of emergency measures, while exploring other longer-term measures to solve the world’s food crisis.

This will involve adjudicating between advocates of protectionism and those who favor opening up markets, as well as between supporters of biofuels and its opponents.

On Saturday, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner backed calls for the international community to create a food fund to tackle the crisis caused by sharp global price rises.

On Wednesday, the American supermarket chain Wal-Mart banned bulk sales of rice at its cash-and-carry businesses, as the global food shortage and soaring price of food began to make an impact in the largest consumer nation. The previous day, rival Costco Wholesale Corp. reported mounting demand for rice and flour as worried customers stocked up.

“Everywhere you see, there is some story about food shortages and hoarding and tightness of supplies,” said Neauman Coleman, an analyst and rice broker in Brinkley, Arkansas.

However, U.S. officials downplayed notions of food shortages amid reports of worried buyers stocking up on rice in major chain stores.

“I don’t see food shortages,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said in an interview. “We have plenty of food. The price of food has gone up, but again that won’t be as significant for the average American as gasoline.”

Rice prices hit record highs in Thailand and in electronic trading of Chicago Board of Trade futures during Asian trading hours last week. The 5-percent jump in Thailand rice takes prices to US$1,000 a ton, nearly triple their level at the start of the year, intensifying fears of social unrest in Asia.

Riots have erupted in Africa and Haiti due to the surging price of fuel and food. The International Monetary Fund is in talks with governments in 10 countries, mostly in Africa, about boosting aid to cover soaring food prices, a spokesman said.

The crisis began in 2007 with India’s imposition of export curbs to protect domestic supplies.

On Wednesday, Brazil suspended rice exports. While the country is a minor exporter, its decision followed in the footsteps of No. 2 rice exporter India and No. 3 Vietnam.

Thailand, which accounts for nearly a third of all rice traded globally, reiterated that it would not impose any curbs, saying it had enough stocks to meet commitments.

(SD-Agencies)