The Competition and Fair Trading Commission (the Commission) has issued interim orders to nine farm input distribution companies and two poultry feed manufacturing companies requiring them to cease and desist from engaging in excessive pricing and unconscionable conduct.
The farm input companies that have been issued the interim orders include Export Trading Group (ETG), Farmers World, Malawi Fertilizer Company, Dalitso General Supplies, Paramount Holdings Limited, Optichem 2000 Limited, Rabs Processors Limited, Brussels Fertilizers Limited and Agora Limited. The poultry feed companies issued the interim orders include CP Feeds and Proto Feeds.
Section 23 of the Competition and Fair Trading Act (“the Act”) gives powers to the Commission to issue an interim order requesting an enterprise to stop engaging in conduct where the Commission, before it reaches a final decision on a matter, believes, on reasonable grounds, that an enterprise has engaged, is engaging, or is proposing to engage, in conduct that constitutes or may constitute an infringement of the Act. The Order is issued where it is necessary for the Commission to act as a matter of urgency in preventing serious, irreparable damage to any person or category of persons; or protecting the public interest.
Under the issued interim orders, the said companies are not to increase prices and not to hoard the supply of the respective products they sell on the market until a determination is made on the matter.
It must be noted that failure to comply with the issued orders shall result into criminal prosecution in the court of law and execution in accordance to Section 70 of the Act.
The Commission wishes to encourage consumers and the general public to report any alleged violations of the Act through the following:
• Toll Free Line: 2489
• WhatsApp: +265 987 738 749
For media enquiries on this statement, contact Innocent Helema on +265 880 725 075 or email innocent.helema@cftc.mw.
Lloyds Vincent Nkhoma
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER