Food giants accused of links to illegal Amazon deforestation

Cargill, Bunge and Cofco sourced beans from companies allegedly supplied by a farmer fined for destroying swathes of rainforest

Three of the world's biggest food businesses have been accused of buying soya from a farmer linked to illegal deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.

Cargill, Bunge and Cofco sourced soya beans from the Chinese-owned Fiagril and the multinational Alianca Agricola do Cerrado, both of which have allegedly been supplied by a farmer fined and sanctioned multiple times after destroying swathes of rainforest, according to a new investigation.