Over the past few years, Monsanto, a chemical firm, has positioned
itself as an agricultural company through control over seed - the
first link in the food chain.
Monsanto now wants to control water, the very basis of life.
In 1996, Monsanto bought the biotechnology assets of Agracetus, a
subsidiary of W. R. Grace, for $150 million and Calgene, a
California-based plant biotechnology company for $340 million.
In 1997, Monsanto acquired Holden seeds, the Brazilian seed company,
Sementes Agrocerus and Asgrow.
In 1998, it purchased Cargill's seed operations for $1.4 billion and bought Delta and Pine land for $1.82 billion and Dekalb for $2.3 billion.
In India, Monsanto has bought MAHYCO, Maharashtra Hybrid Company, EID
Parry and Rallis. Mr. Jack Kennedy of Monsanto has said, "we propose
to penetrate the Indian agricultural sector in a big way. MAHYCO is a
good vehicle."
According to Mr. Robert Farley of Monsanto, "what you are seeing is not just a consolidation of seed companies, it's really a consolidation of the entire food chain.
