OREANDA-NEWS. October 28, 2014. It is already the forth case on the food products markets. FAS initiated the first three cases in Stavropol, Primorie and Crimea due to growing poultry prices. Now an antimonopoly investigation is being conducted in the Tomsk region for an unreasonable increase of pork prices.

The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) continues receiving complaints on its hot line about prices on the food products markets. As of today, FAS received 2203 complaints, many of which formed the grounds for unscheduled on-site and documentary inspections in all Russian provinces. Four cases were initiated and warnings were issued to several economic entities.

FAS pays special attention to the wholesale segment. Each week FAS monitors wholesale ex-works prices for the socially important food products under sanctions – beef, poultry, pork, fish, milk and dairy products, butter, potatoes, carrots, onion and apples.

The latest monitoring shows that wholesale prices for poultry are stabilized in the majority of regions, and prices for fish products continue going down (a considerable reduction is registered in the Omsk region). Wholesale beef prices went down in the Arkhangelsk, Kirov, Kostroma, Magadan and Moscow regions; pork prices are decreased by some producers and wholesale suppliers in Karachaevo-Cherkessia, Mordovia, Komi, the Stavropol province as well as the Sverdlovsk, Tambov, Tver, Vologda, Kursk, Lipetsk and Moscow regions.

At the same time, according to Deputy Head of FAS Department for Control over Agro-Industrial Complex, Irina Epifanova, in mid-October a significant increase of ex-works fish prices was revealed in the Altai region, beef prices were raised by some wholesale suppliers in the Saratov region (over 5%) and Crimea. Pork prices went up in Tyva, Khakassia, the Novosibirsk and Samara regions. Some regions are experiencing a seasonal price increase for raw milk.

“Inspections on food products markets continue. Should any signs of violating the antimonopoly law be revealed, FAS shall undertake the relevant measures”, commented Irina Epifanova.