Food crisis fuels fears of protectionism compounding shortages

A growing world food crisis is precipitating protectionist moves by countries which are likely to compound the problem and could lead to a wider trade war, business leaders and policymakers at the World Economic Forum said. In a sign of the escalating squeeze on food supplies and rising prices, a government source told Reuters that India could restrict sugar exports for the first time in six years to prevent a surge in domestic prices. Meanwhile, Indonesia, the world's biggest palm oil exporter, will remove a subsidy on bulk cooking oil and replace it with...