The Committee for Competition Development and Consumer Protection has uncovered anti-competitive practices within the compressed natural gas (CNG) market in Payariq district of Samarkand province.
The investigation was triggered by numerous complaints regarding unjustified price hikes at CNG filling stations, noting that prices in Payariq significantly exceeded those in neighboring districts.
Following a market analysis and consumer surveys, the Committee found that starting January 5 of this year, 11 out of the 12 stations in the district simultaneously raised the price of one cubic meter of gas by an average of 300 soums. These stations are operated by eight different companies: Temur-Bek, Sadaf Agro Servis, Raqobat Eko Gaz Servis, Jaxon-gir Prestij, Khudoyberdi Ramziddin Avtogaz, Amirkxon Gaz Servis, Al-Asadbek Gaz Petrol Invest, and Bahrin Gaz Oil.
The fact that prices in adjacent districts remained stable during the same period confirmed the market deviation in Payariq. Consequently, the Committee’s provincial office has launched a formal case under Article 19 of the Competition Law, citing coordinated anti-competitive actions.
As a result of the proceedings, financial penalties were imposed on the companies involved. They were also issued mandatory directives to rectify the violations and prevent such price-fixing schemes from recurring.
This follows a similar crackdown in February last year, when the Committee exposed a price-fixing cartel involving 47 CNG stations in Bukhara province that had hiked prices by 8%.
