On 17 Jul, 13:32, "Mary Fisher" wrote:

It would be even better for Africans etc. to grow food for themselves rather
than be paid for growing food for us and having to buy what's dumped on
them.

Mary

The kind of trade you describe would be stupid and wasteful. Africa
does already grow most of its own food; but free trade would help.
However, because developed countries force prices down (through
tariffs and subsidies &c) there are three problems:

1. Africa earns much less money from exporting to rich countries like
the UK;
2. Inefficient agricultural industries in rich countries (like the UK)
are propped up at the taxpayer's expense;
3. Third parties are more likely to buy food from the most-subsidised
producer (places like the UK) rather from the cheapest producer
(places like Africa).

In other words, Britons have to pay billions of pounds to move
production from poor African farmers (who need the work most) to
richer British farmers.