Most trade in food and agricultural products involves processed food. We take this observation as our starting point to address why trade in food and agricultural products has been difficult to achieve. Drawing on recent developments in the theory of networks, we allow for the role of intermediaries with potential market power and where the bias of trade policy may reflect special interests. We draw on recent developments in the theory of networks to show that global free trade in food and agricultural markets is unlikely when there are countries occupying a central position in the network independently of any policy bias. Acknowledgement :