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CONCLUSION
The EU seed market is a key part of the international seed market and is experiencing increasing concentration in
many of its most economically relevant crops (in particular maize, vegetables, sugar beet). This is demonstrated
by the high market share owned and controlled by a small number of transnational companies that dominate
the specific crop markets. The tendency towards concentration and consolidation, both vertical and horizontal,
is facilitated by economic structures and legislation that impede open access to this market by smaller breeders
and seed producers, including newcomers.
Large companies such as Limagrain, KWS, Syngenta, Monsanto and Bayer have increased their market power in
the European seed market by acquiring over the last 20 years many smaller and independent companies in the
EU Member States. For example, Monsanto and Syngenta have acquired an important share of the EU vegetable
seed sector. Limagrain and KWS have assumed an important role in cereals. Pioneer is the leader in sales of
maize seed in the EU. This concentration process is still on going, especially in the new EU Member States.
These very few and globally relevant seed companies have also succeeded in controlling a large part of the
European plant breeding sector.
From our analysis of the common EU catalogue of maize and tomato seeds, it is evident that a small number of
companies control a huge percentage of the varieties that can be marketed in the EU. In the case of maize, just
“
Who controls the food supply, controls the people
”
Dr. Henry Kissinger
“
Who controls the seed sector, controls the food sector
”
Dr. Vandana Shiva
“
What you’re seeing is not just a consolidation of seed companies,
it’s really a consolidation of the entire food chain
”
Robert Fraley (Monsanto)