staple food
food that forms the basis of a traditional diet
Link to present incidents:
Staple food prices record high
China could be facing a severe food crisis as the stockpiles of grains such as rice and corn have dropped to a 26-year low. At the same time the price of rice jumped 2.6 percent to a record high, while prices for corn and soy beans are also steadily rising and nearing an all time high.