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The Competition Commission has referred its findings of cartel conduct against Pioneer Fishing and Blue Continent Products (BPC) to the Competition Tribunal, recommending that it impose an administrative penalty on Pioneer not exceeding 10% of its yearly turnover.
No administrative penalty was sought against BPC as it had been granted conditional leniency in terms of the commission’s Corporate Leniency Policy.
Both were fishing companies that operated in the market for the supply of horse mackerel to local and export markets.
The commission found that, between 2008 and at least 2010, Pioneer and BCP agreed to divide the market for the supply of horse mackerel by allocating territories and customers.
The parties entered into a suite of agreements relating to the sale and supply of horse mackerel within certain markets, such as Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West provinces.
“This referral is yet another confirmation of the correctness of our focus on food and agroprocessing, a sector that has a direct impact on consumers,” said acting commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele.
The decision by the commission followed an investigation initiated in March 2011.