March 28 (LPAC)--Speaking at a public lecture organized by the Lee Kuan Yew School Public Policy in Singapore, India's Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said the price of many food commodities has soared worldwide to record levels over the last year due to booming demand in fast-growing Asian countries, as well as the increased use of biofuels. "As citizens of the world, we ought to be concerned about the foolishness of growing food and diverting it into fuel," Chidamabaram said.

Chidambaram, who spoke on the challenge of sustaining economic growth amid global uncertainty, said the relentless rise in food and commodity prices has created an "enormous problem" for developing countries. "There are non-food items that can be produced to make biofuels.... To convert corn to fuel ... I think it's outrageous, and it must be condemned.... I think it is the most foolish thing that humanity can do."

Lyndon LaRouche said the message to Al Gore should be: Don't be an ethanol!