The competition authority NMa has fined a number of bell pepper and onion growers a total of €23m for cartel forming.

Two cooperatives – UWG and Rainbow – were fined €14m for keeping pepper prices artificially high. Together, they control some 30% of the Dutch bell pepper production.
The sector turned over €400m in 2010.
The silverskin onion growers were fined for making agreements to limit production between 1998 and 2010 in an effort to drive up prices. The five companies are responsible for some 70% of European silverskin onion production, the NMa said.