Ministry to examine margins on essential foods in bid to keep prices down

The Czech Ministry of Agriculture is planning to carry out checks on sellers’ margins on certain foodstuffs, Minister Zdeněk Nekula said on Wednesday. The controls will be carried out in conjunction with the Office for the Protection of Competition.

In an interview earlier for newspaper Hospodářské noviny Mr. Nekula said his officials were considering a similar step to one taken in connection with fuels, when a reduction in prices resulted.

The minister said the margins on essential foods such as butter, chicken and pork and breads would be subject to such examination.

Mr. Nekula said there was an uneven distribution of profit between farmers, producers and traders, with margins being especially high among the latter.