VOA标准英语2010年-India Takes Steps to Lower Mounting Fo

India has taken measures intended to slow the rise in food prices, which are at an 11-year high. India's economy has been reviving in recent months, but the country is grappling with high inflation. 

Shoring up supplies of food is among the many steps being implemented¹ by the Indian government to lower prices.

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar says the government will sell large quantities of food grains being held in its stocks.  

"Two to three million tons of wheat and rice will be released in the open market in priority over the next two months," said Pawar.

The federal government has also allowed duty free imports of sugar, and is asking state governments to cut food taxes. It will also boost the quantities of food grains to be sold at subsidized prices to low income people.   

Food prices have soared since weak monsoon² rains last summer lowered productivity of crops such as rice, sugar, lentils and oilseeds. Prices of sugar and potatoes have doubled in recent months, and rice is up by nearly 30 per cent.

The high prices are hurting middle income and poor people, who spend a large portion of their income on food. Nearly half of India's more than one billion people live on less than two dollars a day, and many are coping by cutting back on the quantities of food they usually buy.    

The government says it has enough food stocks to meet demand during difficult times. Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is calling on state governments to ensure that traders do not hold back food supplies from the market.     

"State governments are again being advised to strictly³ enforce the measures to stop hoarding⁴ by traders, and to take stern action against hoarders under powers vested with them," said Pawar.

The government is hoping prices will begin to fall in the coming weeks, particularly if farmers reap a good winter harvest.

But soaring food prices are not the only worry for the government. Inflation exceeded seven per cent in December - the highest rate in more than a year.

Economists⁵ say the high inflation rate may prompt the government to gradually begin withdrawing stimulus⁶ measures such as low interest rates, which helped the economy recover from the global financial crisis.

1 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

2 monsoon   

n.季雨，季风，大雨

参考例句：

• The monsoon rains started early this year.今年季雨降雨开始得早。
• The main climate type in that region is monsoon.那个地区主要以季风气候为主要气候类型。

3 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

4 hoarding   

n.贮藏；积蓄；临时围墙；囤积v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• After the war, they were shot for hoarding. 战后他们因囤积而被枪决。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Actually he had two unused ones which he was hoarding up. 其实他还藏了两片没有用呢。 来自英汉文学

5 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。