The Polish competition authority, UOKiK, has imposed fines totaling nearly 136 million PLN on nine companies and five managers involved in a price-fixing conspiracy that lasted for 11 years. The companies, including AGCO and various dealers of brands such as Valtra, Fendt, and Massey Ferguson, were found to have divided the market and exchanged pricing information, leading to inflated prices for farmers.

UOKiK President Tomasz Chróstny highlighted the detrimental impact on farmers, who were often directed to local dealers with higher prices, preventing them from accessing better offers. The conspiracy began in 2012 and involved not only the sale of tractors but also spare parts for agricultural machinery.

The investigation revealed that the companies coordinated their sales territories, ensuring that dealers did not sell to customers outside their assigned regions without permission. This practice resulted in farmers consistently facing higher prices than necessary.

AGCO played a central role in managing the conspiracy, intervening when dealers attempted to break the agreement and monitoring their compliance. The fines imposed on the companies and managers reflect the serious nature of the anticompetitive behavior, with AGCO facing the largest penalty of 82.7 million PLN.

In a notable development, one of the companies, Agrotechnik, received a reduced fine after cooperating with the investigation under the leniency program, which allows for reduced penalties in exchange for providing evidence of anticompetitive practices.

This case marks another significant action by UOKiK against collusion in the agricultural machinery sector, following previous decisions involving other brands. The authority continues to encourage whistleblowers to report anticompetitive practices through its anonymous reporting platform.