Globalization's continuing march.

I found it curious, and at first disturbing, that amidst the rocketing death-toll around the Indian Ocean, the most emailed NYT article was this. But then, I'm glad that this story, too, is not being lost in this tragic time. For both reveal urgently transpacific and transglobal needs for ending global poverty.

"Supermarket Giants Crush Central American Farmers"

...Across Latin America, supermarket chains partly or wholly owned by global corporate goliaths like Ahold, Wal-Mart and Carrefour have revolutionized food distribution in the short span of a decade and have now begun to transform food growing, too.

The megastores are popular with customers for their lower prices, choice and convenience. But their sudden appearance has brought unanticipated and daunting challenges to millions of struggling, small farmers....

In the 1990's supermarkets went from controlling 10 to 20 percent of the market in the region to dominating it, a transition that took 50 years in the United States, according to researchers at Michigan State and the Latin American Center for Rural Development in Santiago, Chile.... [story continues]