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Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez nationalises rice processing
 VENEZUELAN President Hugo Chavez on Saturday ordered the army to take control of all rice processing plants in the South American nation in a spat over prices."I have ordered the immediate intervention in all those sectors of agro-industry, intervention by the revolutionary government," Mr Chavez said before ordering soldiers to take control of rice processing plants. Major rice processors in Venezuela include privately owned U.S. food giant Cargill and Venezuela's main food company Polar. Mr Chavez's socialist Government imposes price controls on basic products and frequently accuses private companies of hoarding food. Mr Chavez, who has nationalised large swathes of the Venezuelan economy, did not explain whether the government intervention would be a temporary measure of a long-term expropriation. Venezuela grows enough rice for domestic consumption and exports a small amount. Posted by: tipper 2009-03-01 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=263845 |