OREANDA-NEWS  Employees of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) have begun checking the validity of the sharp rise in retail prices for herring. This was reported by TASS with reference to a statement from the press service of the department.

FAS representatives have previously analyzed the cost structure of the main types of fish popular in the country, including Pacific herring, the agency noted. According to the results of the audit, it turned out that the main driver of the increase in retail prices for these products was the price of intermediaries between fish producers and retail chains.

The FAS noted that there may be up to six intermediaries in the chain of delivery of fish products to store shelves. Their margin is 5-50 percent. The same applies, among other things, to herring. "The price of fish products in the process of its movement may increase from 2 to 3.5 times," the department stated.

Currently, the FAS analyzes information about primary processing and customers. In addition, the agency monitors data on the volume of products sold, on the actual extraction and production, as well as on the sale and cost structure of fish products. If there are grounds, the agency's staff will take antitrust regulatory measures.

According to the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat), from January to September, the average cost of a kilogram of herring in Russian stores reached 375 rubles. The annual increase was 28 percent. The rise in retail prices is recorded against the background of the fall in wholesale prices. The average cost of Atlantic herring in the European part of Russia in wholesale during the reporting period decreased by 14 percent, to 185 rubles. Thus, retail prices for these products turned out to be more than twice as high as wholesale prices.