Poland’s Office of Competition and Consumer Protection has imposed fines totaling nearly 136 million PLN (€32 million) on nine companies and five managers for engaging in an 11-year market-allocation cartel. According to the regulator, distributor AGCO teamed up with eight machinery dealers to artificially divide the national market for Valtra, Fendt, and Massey Ferguson tractors, combine harvesters, and spare parts.
Running from 2012 to 2023, the illegal arrangement forced Polish farmers to pay higher prices by restricting their ability to purchase equipment under fair market conditions. Participating dealers agreed not to sell outside their designated geographic territories. When farmers requested quotes from non-local dealers, sellers either refused to supply an offer or shared pricing information with rival dealers to ensure the customer was quoted a higher, non-competitive price.
Distributor AGCO actively directed and enforced the territory allocation scheme. If a dealer attempted to sell to a farmer outside their assigned region, AGCO intervened by issuing warnings, mediating disputes, or withholding commercial discounts.
The primary distributor received the largest individual penalty of over 82 million PLN (€19.3 million), while eight participating dealerships faced sanctions ranging from several hundred thousand to nearly 17 million PLN (€4 million). One dealership, Agrotechnik, received a 50 percent penalty reduction under a leniency program after submitting crucial market-allocation evidence during the investigation. Five corporate managers personally involved in coordinating the illegal practices were also fined.
The decision is subject to appeal before Polish courts. This enforcement action marks another major cartel crackdown by the Polish antitrust authority involving the agricultural machinery sector, following previous interventions targeting illegal distribution practices for Claas, New Holland, Case, and Steyr equipment.