OREANDA-NEWS. September 16, 2010. The Head of the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Altai Region (OFAS Russia) Sergey Pospelov signed an order on initiating a case upon the signs of concerted actions between economic entities involved in wholesale sale of buckwheat in the Altai region, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Executing instructions of FAS Russia and the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation, experts of the Altai OFAS Russia and officers of the Altai Regional Prosecutor’s Office analyzed price behavior on the market of buckwheat purchases and sale based on the data obtained by OFAS price monitoring, information provided by the Altai Regional Prosecutor’s Office and data provided by the Altai Regional Statistical Office.

In July and August 2010, consumer prices for buckwheat increased by 44.2%. Growth rate of consumer prices for peeled buckwheat was in line with behavior of ex-works prices of grain producers. At the same time the Altai OFAS Russia discovered that wholesale buckwheat prices went up considerably exceeding the growth of producer prices.

Upon the signs of antimonopoly violations, the Altai OFAS Russia initiated a case against ten companies: “Goodwill” Ltd., “Klir” Ltd., “”Star Commen” Ltd., “Laritsa” Ltd., “KouraiAgro” Ltd., “Naladchik” Biysk Grain Works” CJSC, “Tselina” CJSC, “Altaiskaya Kroupa” CJSC, “Buckwheat” Ltd., and “Altaisky Fermer” trading House” Ltd.

The Altai OFAS Russia requested wholesalers to submit information regarding their economic activities, including economic justification of changing prices for buckwheat in 2010. The case is scheduled for 30th September 2010.

The list of investigated companies is not final. The antimonopoly investigation continues so the more respondents can be brought in the case.