Ministry of Agriculture asks Competition Commission to probe fruit and vegetable buyers

The Ministry of Agriculture has asked the Commission for Protection of Competition to investigate whether buyers of fruit and vegetables have coordinated purchase and resale prices, amid public complaints about the gap between farmgate and retail prices.

Request cites Law on Unfair Trading Practices and market concerns

The ministry will submit a formal initiative asking the commission to examine the procurement principles for agricultural produce and fruit and to determine whether there is a cartel-like association among buyers, the ministry said.

Minister of Agriculture Serafimovski described his recent field work as the basis for the request. "In the past fifty days since I became minister, I have spent 90 percent of my time in the field. I held a million meetings with farmers, buyers and processors. This topic is overcomplicated and overly large and must be joined, they must understand once that everyone together must participate transparently, openly and fairly in this process and a result must emerge that will be good for all. These conditions that we have now, if they continue like this, we will have the same problems next year," he said.

Economy Minister Besar Durmishi said retail prices are currently stable and that the government is waiting for August reports from the State Statistical Office and the market inspection. "When the data from statistics and from the market inspection come out we will inform the public. Let's not repeat ourselves, as in the past, we will use all mechanisms at our disposal if there is an economically unjustified increase in food prices or deviant behavior by traders," Durmishi said.

Durmishi added that possible measures to soften price shocks on fuel derivatives, such as a VAT reduction, will be discussed at a government session after the finance minister reports.

The minister also signed a labour cooperation memorandum with Qatar's Minister of Labour Al Mari. The memorandum foresees exchanges of experience and good practices in labour relations, labour inspection, occupational safety and health, and expert support for legislative improvement. Qatar expressed interest in North Macedonia's education, health and IT sectors as potential sources of workforce.

Photo: press material from the event