Last year Bill Clinton publicly apologized for forcing Haiti to drop tariffs on imported, subsidized US rice during his time in office. The policy wiped out Haitian rice farming and seriously damaged Haiti’s ability to be self-sufficient.
US rice costs about half the price locally grown rice.
Cheap foreign products forced farmers off their land and into overcrowded cities. The population of Haiti is about 10 million. Over 4.5 million live in Port au Prince.
Haitians are now almost totally dependant on imported food. And international prices.
Since the earthquake imported rice prices are up 25%.
These images are the way the majority of the people shop in Port au Prince.
These are the charcoal vendors
But for the upper class, behind big walls, complete with armed guards, is a supermarket.
Most of the petrol stations we see here are American.
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