clipped from: consumerist.com   

The NY Sun says that Costco has resorted to "rationing" bags of rice in California and flour and oil in New York due to limited supply:

most Costco members were being allowed to buy only one bag. Moments earlier, a clerk dropped two sacks back on the stack after taking them from another customer who tried to exceed the one-bag cap.

"Due to the limited availability of rice, we are limiting rice purchases based on your prior purchasing history," a sign above the dwindling supply said.

An employee at the Costco store in Queens said there were no restrictions on rice buying, but limits were being imposed on purchases of oil and flour. Internet postings attributed some of the shortage at the retail level to bakery owners who flocked to warehouse stores when the price of flour from commercial suppliers doubled.

Prices are also being driven by some of the same forces boosting all commodities — a weak dollar and high fuel prices.