Monsanto grabs more seeds
Monsanto, already the #1 seed company in the, announced it would buy Dutch-based De Ruiter Seeds Group BV. De Ruiter specializes in vegetable seeds, and is especially dominant in the area of protected crops (greenhouse- grown) vegetables.
The move makes Monsanto the #1 purveyor of vegetable seeds, in addition to being the leader in corn and soy seeds. He idea is that Monsanto will used its high-end genetics technology to develop new strains of tomatoes and cucumbers, adding gnees for pesticide resistance or longer shelf life.
The deal will give Monsanto a 25% market share in the $3 billion worldwide fruit and vegetable seed market.
Monsanto keeps growing its seed operations. In 2005, it bought US-based fruit and vegetable seed company Seminis. In 2006, it bought US- cotton seed company Delta Pine and Land. It's all part of an ongoing consolidation in the world seed market - a phenomenon which makes the nightmares of monoculture and of rabid patent enforcement all the worse.
10:49:40 PM 
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