Prime minister criticizes food producers for excessively high prices

At the opening of the agricultural trade fair Země Živitelka in České Budějovice, Prime Minister Petr Fiala criticized companies for excessively high food costs. The prime minister welcomed the fact that the price of some basic food stuffs such as butter, sugar and milk are finally falling, but said that other foodstuffs must follow suit, pointing to the fact that food companies have posted huge profits after getting help from the state in the Covid period and during the surge in energy costs after the war in Ukraine started. He criticised the Agrofert conglomerate in particular, saying that its owner, ANO party leader Andrej Babiš, could reduce food prices on the Czech market by giving out a single order.  Babiš rejected this, countering that the price of Agrofert products is decided by market chains. Six hundred exhibitors are showcasing their products at the agricultural trade fair.