The Philippines, the world's largest rice importer, is urging China, Japan and other Asian nations to convene an emergency meeting on the region's food crisis to try and reverse export curbs that have driven prices to a record.

"Free trade should be flowing," Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said yesterday. "We'd like to take up also the export bans being imposed by several countries."

The meeting may be arranged within two months.

Grain prices including rice, staple food for half the world, have surged this year on shortage concerns, prompting some growers to impose export restrictions. ... Read full article