FOOD

Guardian: Free trade leaves world food in grip of global giants

Global food companies are aggravating poverty in developing countries

by

dominating markets, buying up seed firms and forcing down prices for

staple goods including tea, coffee, milk, bananas and wheat, according

to a report to be launched today.



As 50,000 people marched through Porto Alegre, in southern Brazil, to

mark the opening of the annual World Social Forum on developing country

issues, the report from ActionAid was set to highlight how power in the

world food industry has become concentrated in a few hands. 



The report will say that 30 companies now account for a third of the

world's processed food; five companies control 75% of the international

grain trade; and six companies manage 75% of the global pesticide

market. 



It finds that two companies dominate sales of half the world's bananas,

three trade 85% of the world's tea, and one, Wal-mart, now controls 40%

of Mexico's retail food sector. It also found that Monsanto controls 

91% of the global GM seed market.