Agri Plus, a company that supports and closely cooperates with Polish pig breeders, does not agree with the decision of the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection regarding the use of contractual clauses introduced to minimize the negative effects of African swine fever (ASF). Due to a different interpretation of the regulations, the company announces an appeal against this decision.

Agri Plus has been cooperating with Polish family farms for over 20 years, based on transparent, fair rules of contract fattening. The pillars of partnership relations with breeders are voluntary and mutual benefits from cooperation at every stage. The main goal of Agri Plus is to ensure the ability to produce live pigs in Poland. With regard to partners in contract fattening, it is crucial to guarantee them a stable income and Agri Plus to take over the market risk related to running a farm.

ASF has dramatic economic and social consequences, which are extremely severe for domestic pig breeders. Agri Plus has always stood shoulder to shoulder with the affected farmers, minimizing the negative effects of the ASF epidemic. The company, unlike other market participants, applies a policy guaranteeing contractors a constant income from the sale of live pigs, regardless of the ASF zone in which a given farm is currently located.

The long-term activities of Agri Plus are inspired by full understanding of the effort associated with pig farming. The partnership attitude of the company towards native farms affected by ASF often raises unjustified criticism from other market participants and institutions. This is completely incomprehensible, as the company acts as a kind of protective umbrella for pig breeders. Thanks to cooperation with Agri Plus, Polish farmers can function peacefully, even in the most difficult period, while many other individual farms fail to stay on the market. Moreover, the decision of the President of UOKiK will certainly be perceived by representatives of the pork sector as a serious interference in the freedom of economic activity and another barrier to maintaining domestic pig production, while the development of this industry is necessary to ensure food security of the country.

In connection with the above, Agri Plus is very surprised by the decision resulting from a different perception of the threats posed by ASF to the participants of the pig market in Poland and differences in the interpretation of the regulations in relation to the practices historically used by the Company to mitigate these threats. The decision ignores the fact that Agri Plus, as the entity economically responsible for the livestock production process, bears practically all market risks related to production, including the risk related to ASF. The President of UOKiK also did not take into account in his decision the fact that Agri Plus is the injured party in the ASF relationship, and the financial losses in this respect are estimated at approx. PLN 145 million. We do not share the conclusions contained in the position of the Office, and we treat the decision itself as unprecedented and wrong. Importantly, the actions taken by the Company were in line with the market practice at that time and neutral for the income obtained by breeders, in accordance with the contract fattening contract concluded by the Parties. As indicated above, regardless of whether pig producers operated in zones where veterinary restrictions were imposed resulting from ASF counteracting or not, they received constant financial inflows from Agri Plus.

The decision of the President of UOKiK is not legally binding and will be subject to verification in the course of judicial control. Being convinced of the rightness of our actions, we face the need to appeal against the decision of the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection to the Court of Competition and Consumer Protection in Warsaw.

Regardless of the situation, we would like to assure you that Agri Plus will continue to support Polish family farms, which are the foundation of the food production and processing sector in our country.

Management Board of Agri Plus

Contact for media:
biuro.prasowe@www.agriplus.pl