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Wheat prices have risen sharply in recent months
Record wheat production is expected in 2008, the FAO said.
The amount of money being spent globally on importing food is set to top $1 trillion (£528bn) in 2008, an influential report estimates.
Soaring food prices are the cause of the huge bill – likely to be up 26% on the 2007 total – said the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The most economically vulnerable countries will bear the biggest burden, the report said, with costs rising 40%.
But the FAO said there were signs that some food prices were starting to fall.
However, it said prices were “unlikely” to return to the low levels of previous years – largely because of the higher costs associated with food production, primarily fuel.
The need to replenish stocks and the expected greater consumption – or utilisation – of crops, meant that demand would stay high, the report added.
“The most influential development in pushing up international prices of basic food has been the low level of exportable supplies resulting from utilization outstripping production for several crops in a number of major exporting countries.”
- In: $1 trillion | ' | Business | Food | imports | To | top
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Wheat prices have risen sharply in recent months
Record wheat production is expected in 2008, the FAO said.
The amount of money being spent globally on importing food is set to top $1 trillion (£528bn) in 2008, an influential report estimates.
Soaring food prices are the cause of the huge bill – likely to be up 26% on the 2007 total – said the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The most economically vulnerable countries will bear the biggest burden, the report said, with costs rising 40%.
But the FAO said there were signs that some food prices were starting to fall.
However, it said prices were “unlikely” to return to the low levels of previous years – largely because of the higher costs associated with food production, primarily fuel.
The need to replenish stocks and the expected greater consumption – or utilisation – of crops, meant that demand would stay high, the report added.
“The most influential development in pushing up international prices of basic food has been the low level of exportable supplies resulting from utilization outstripping production for several crops in a number of major exporting countries.”
Microsoft has appealed against a 899m euros ($1.4bn; £680.9m) fine given for defying sanctions imposed on it for anti-competitive behaviour.
The penalty – the largest ever from the European Commission – came after it failed to comply with a 2004 ruling that it abused its market position.
The ruling said that Microsoft was guilty of not providing key code to rival software makers.
Microsoft said it was appealing to seek “clarity from the court”.
The Commission said that it was confident the fine was “legally sound”.
Freezing out rivals
The challenge has been lodged with the EU Court of First Instance.
When they handed down the punishment in February, EU regulators said Microsoft was the first to break an EU anti-trust ruling.
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DISPUTE TIMELINE
March 2004: EU fines Microsoft 497m euros and orders it to release key Windows code to rival software developers
September 2004: Microsoft tries to have the ruling temporarily suspended
April 2006: Microsoft appeals against the ruling in the European Court of First Instance
September 2007: Microsoft loses its appeal
February 2008: EU imposes 899m euros fine on Microsoft for defying sanctions
May 2008: Microsoft appeals the fine, “seeking clarity”
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The fines came on top of earlier fines of 280m euros imposed in July 2006, and of 497m euros in March 2004.
An investigation concluded in 2004 that Microsoft was guilty of freezing out rivals in products such as media players, while unfairly linking its Explorer internet browser to its Windows operating system at the expense of rival servers.
The European Court of First Instance upheld this ruling last year, which ordered Microsoft to pay 497m euros for abusing its dominant market position.
Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it would open up the technology of some of its leading software, including Windows, to make it easier to operate with rivals’ products.
- In: applications | Business | eyes | Microsoft | Models | new | Office
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Subscription and ad-supported versions of Office applications in the cards
For many computer users around the world when they think of typing a letter or a research paper, the first thing they think of is Word from Microsoft’s Office suite. The problem for buyers of new computers is that the application typically doesn’t come with a new computer and Office costs in the area of $400 for some versions.
In light of the high price for software that many people simply don’t utilize completely, there are a number of open source alternatives taking some of Microsoft’s thunder away because they are free – applications like OpenOffice and Google Docs for example. Google Docs is especially becoming more interesting to users looking for a Microsoft Office alternative thanks to its recently added offline functionality.
To try and gain back some of what it perceives to be market loss, Microsoft is said to be looking at new business models for its Office applications. According to PC World, Microsoft is considering two new access methods for Office applications including a subscription based model and a free ad-supported version of Microsoft Works.
Exactly what the pricing would be on a subscription version of Microsoft Office is unknown, but as PC World points out it would have to be under $33 per month to remain competitive with the straight purchase option. Many would have a hard time stomaching a subscription-based model.
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