OREANDA-NEWS. March 12, 2010. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) found that "Novorossiysk Grain Terminal" OJSC, a member of the group of persons comprising "Novorossiysk Grain Terminal" OJSC and "Novorossiysk Commercial Seaport" OJSC, violated Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition", reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The case was initiated upon the findings of a FAS Russia's inspection and a petition of the Russian Grain Union that complained to FAS Russia regarding the rates set by "Novorossiysk Grain Terminal" OJSC for export transshipment of grain crops.

To ensure market stability and to execute instructions given by the First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, Mr. Zubkov, in 2008 FAS Russia started monthly monitoring of agricultural produce markets in the Russian Federation.

Particular attention has been paid to preventing and constraining the practice of abusing market dominance by economic entities, including collective dominance, and exposing anticompetitive agreements and concerted actions and other anticompetitive conduct aimed at destabilizing the situation on agricultural produce markets of the Russian Federation.

The FAS Russia's Commission established that the group of persons comprising "Novorossiysk Grain Terminal" OJSC and "Novorossiysk Commercial Seaport" OJSC dominated the market of export transshipment of grain crops within the boundaries of deep-water ports on the Azov Sea and the Black Sea.

Having analyzed competitive environment on the market in question, FAS Russia established that the above group of persons has the market share of more than 50%; initially the rate for export transshipment services was set at 425 Rubles per ton, but in 2009 it was increased to 470 Rubles per ton and then to 550 Rubles per ton.

"The FAS Russia's Commission found such price levels monopolistically high. The antimonopoly authority will impose a turnover fine upon "Novorossiysk Grain Terminal" OJSC in accordance with the statutory procedures", said Teimuraz Kharitonashvili, the Head of the FAS Russia's Department for Control over Chemical Industry and Agro Business.