Explainer 88 Rice-a-rama
LAST week, a member of our audience wondered if the so-called rice crisis is real. She wasn’t alone in thinking this. As Reuters recently reported, “Rice price surge frustrates and puzzles Asians” and as another Reuters report puts it, as things become clearer, one thing’s sure: there’s “No quick fix to soothe Asia’s rice shortage fears.”
As I told you last week, tonight we’re going to take a peek at Thads Bentulan’s comparison of rice prices in Hong Kong, Singapore, and here at home. Bentulan has a pet theory of his, in mind, called HyperWage, but that’s for another episode of this show to tackle. What I thought you’d find interesting and relevant tonight, is his comparison of how many hours it takes two kinds of workers, to earn enough money, to buy a kilo of rice. He looked at domestic helpers and janitors; DH’s, because many Filipinos are in that line of work in Singapore and Hong Kong; and janitors, because that’s about the most menial job a native Singaporean or Hong Konger will be in.


