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Seed industry giants: who owns whom?

10 November 1999

A shrinking number of colossal companies -- nicknamed the “Gene Giants” -- dominate global sales of seeds and agrochemicals, according to a report released in September by the Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI).

The top five gene giants (AstraZeneca, DuPont, Monsanto, Novartis, Aventis) account for nearly two-thirds of the global pesticide market (60%), almost one-quarter (23%) of the commercial seed market and virtually 100% of the transgenic (genetically engineered) seed market.

Five years ago, none of top five gene giants appeared on the list of leading seed corporations. In fact, three of the top five companies didn't even exist. Zeneca and Astra merged to form AstraZeneca, Rhone Poulenc and Hoechst became Aventis, Ciba Geigy and Sandoz became Novartis and DuPont swallowed Pioneer Hi-Bred earlier this year.

For more information, visit RAFI's web site at <http://www.rafi.org> or e-mail <rafi@rafi.org>.

Agrochemical companies top 10

  Company                              1998 pesticide sales (US millions)
  
Aventis (Germany)                    $4676
  
Novartis (Switzerland)               $4152
  
Monsanto (USA)                       $4032
  
DuPont (USA)                         $3156
  
AstraZeneca (UK and Netherlands)     $2897
  
Bayer (Germany)                      $2273
  
American Home Products               $2194
  
Dow (USA)                            $2132
  
BASF (Germany)                       $1945
  
Makhteshim-Agan (Israel)             $801

Seed industry top 10

  Company                              1998 seed sales (US millions)
  
DuPont (USA)                         $1835+
  
Monsanto (USA)                       $1800 (estimate)
  
Novartis (Switzerland)               $1000
  
Groupe Limagrain (France)            $733
  
Savia S.A. de C.V. (Mexico)          $428
  
AstraZeneca (UK and Netherlands)     $412
  
KWS AG (Germany)                     $370
  
AgriBiotech Inc. (USA)               $370
  
Sakata (Japan)                       $349*
  
Takii (Japan)                        $300* (estimate)

[Abridged from Pesticide Action Network Updates Service, on the web at <http://www.panna.org>.]