WASHINGTON (AP): U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says that increasing energy costs may be the biggest factor in rising global food prices.

The analysis contradicts estimates by the International Monetary Fund of a growing humanitarian crisis from food costs.

The organization says that the displacement of crops by rising biofuel production in countries like Brazil and the United States is the biggest factor.

Rice says that the United States is looking hard at the effect of biofuel production.

But she told lawmakers at a House of Representatives' hearing Tuesday that the United States believes that energy costs in the production of fertilizer and transport of crops may be playing ``even a larger part of sparking the food crisis that we have.''