Matecna: We Have Four or Five Retail Chains Here Controlling 80% of Market

Bratislava, October 12 (TASR) – We have four or five retail chains here controlling 80 percent of the market and as a result of this, Slovak food suppliers and processors had no chance to assert themselves in these chains at competitive prices, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Gabriela Matecna (Slovak National Party/SNS) told a news conference on Friday.

She stated that the price was very high for Slovak farmers and that the Slovak farm sector has been undersized in terms of finance for long years.

Concerning potential withdrawal of some retail chains from the Slovak market [due to a special levy for retail chains that her party wants to introduce -ed.note], Matecna said she is not afraid of pessimistic scenarios. The system of a special levy should ensure that the money will return to the Agriculture Ministry’s budget and serve to increase the volume of Slovak products on shelves of retail chains.

The minister stressed that retail chains collect the highest margins in the whole vertical. She said that not only her, but also the SNS’s programme statement talks about the efforts to gain money for the sector. “Negotiations with Finance Minister Peter Kazimir (Smer-SD) are really tough, however, it’s impossible to gain the money through the budget,” stated Matecna, adding they were seeking possible ways to get the money into the sector.