The Competition Authority has opened an investigation into May Seeds: It may affect the market.

Investigation Launched Against May Seeds by the Competition Authority

The Competition Authority has decided to initiate an investigation against May-Agro Seed Industry and Trade Inc. (May Seeds), which operates in the production and sale of sunflower, corn, cotton, sweet corn, beans, industrial tomatoes, and spinach seeds.

Reason for Investigation and Details

In a statement published on the official website of the Competition Authority, it was reported that the preliminary investigation regarding allegations that May Seeds has violated relevant articles of the Law on the Protection of Competition through regional and customer restrictions has been completed. Considering the information, documents, and findings obtained, the Authority has decided to launch a more comprehensive investigation into the company.

Impact on Farmers and the Market

The statement emphasized the importance of farmers' access to affordable seeds and seedlings, stating, "The regional and customer restrictions identified during the investigation cause the market to be divided by a company's instruction to dealers, such as 'you can only sell in this region' or 'you cannot sell to these customers.' This situation can reduce competition among dealers, artificially keeping prices high."

Meaning of the Investigation

It was expressed that the decisions made by the Competition Authority to initiate investigations do not necessarily mean that the investigated undertakings continuously violate the relevant law or will face sanctions, and that everything is not yet clear in this process.