Jakartans raise their hands as they hold coupons to get free rice from a political party in Jakarta on 24 April 2008 . The price of rice , a staple in the diets of nearly half the world ? population , has almost doubled on international markets in the last three months . That has pinched the budgets of millions of poor Asians and raised fears of civil unrest . Shortages and high prices for all kinds of food have caused tensions and even violence around the world in recent months . Since January , thousands of troops have been deployed in Pakistan to guard trucks carrying wheat and flour . Protests have erupted in Indonesia over soybean shortages , and China has put price controls on cooking oil , grain , meat , milk and eggs . EPA / WEDA < 저작권자 ⓒ 2007 연 합 뉴 스 . 무단 전재 - 재 배포 금지 . >