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CUTS Daily Bulletin # 03 | July 10, 2026

Strengthening Competition in Global Food Value Chains

Day 3 & Closing Highlights

The third and concluding day of the 23rd Session of the UNCTAD Intergovernmental Group of Experts (IGE) on Competition Law and Policy focused on competition in global food value chains and the role of competition policy in promoting efficient, competitive and resilient agricultural markets. Discussions highlighted the growing challenges posed by market concentration, supply chain disruptions and price volatility, particularly for import-dependent economies. The session concluded with a closing plenary that reaffirmed the importance of international cooperation and continued implementation of the United Nations framework on competition law and policy.

Competition across Global Food Value Chains

The round table on Competition in Global Food Value Chains examined competition challenges across agricultural markets, from upstream agricultural inputs to food distribution. Participants observed that market concentration, together with disruptions across global supply chains, can amplify price volatility, weaken bargaining power and adversely affect consumers, particularly in economies that rely heavily on food imports.

The discussion highlighted that effective competition enforcement requires a comprehensive understanding of the entire food value chain. Alongside enforcement against anti-competitive practices, participants emphasised the importance of market inquiries, competition advocacy and continuous market monitoring to identify structural concerns and promote well-functioning markets.

Country experiences demonstrated that competition challenges vary across national contexts. Particular attention was drawn to the unique vulnerabilities of small island economies, where high import dependence can magnify the effects of anti-competitive practices in upstream markets such as fertilisers, seeds, animal feed and crop protection products. Participants noted that addressing competition concerns at these stages is essential because disruptions can affect the entire value chain and ultimately influence food affordability.

Strengthening Enforcement through Technology and Cooperation

The second part of the discussion focused on approaches to addressing market power and anti-competitive practices in global food markets.

Country experiences also illustrated how digital technologies can strengthen competition enforcement. Egypt shared its experience of using an AI-assisted, real-time price monitoring system to identify abnormal price movements and support timely investigations into potential anti-competitive practices.

The discussion also reinforced the importance of regional and international cooperation. Participants recognised that agricultural markets are increasingly interconnected and that effective enforcement requires closer collaboration among competition authorities, particularly where multinational firms operate across jurisdictions. Experiences shared by COMESA further highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in addressing market structure, competition concerns and broader economic challenges affecting the agricultural sector.

Closing Plenary and the Way Forward

The closing plenary reaffirmed the important contribution of competition law and policy to consumer welfare and sustainable development. Participants reflected on the week's discussions, highlighting the need to continue developing practical methodologies for competition enforcement, strengthen regional and international cooperation, and advance implementation of the United Nations Set of Multilaterally Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices.

Delegates also noted the designation of 5 December as World Competition Day, recognising the growing importance of competition policy in promoting fair and competitive markets. Looking ahead, discussions at the next session are expected to cover cross-border cartels, competition in online payment systems and case prioritisation in competition law enforcement.

Key Policy Messages

The discussions highlighted several priorities for strengthening competition policy:

Promoting effective competition throughout global food value chains.
Strengthening market monitoring, competition advocacy and enforcement.
Leveraging digital technologies to improve competition investigations.
Enhancing regional and international cooperation to address cross-border competition challenges.
Continuing implementation of international competition principles while strengthening national enforcement capacity.

Looking Ahead

The discussions on the concluding day reinforced that effective competition policy depends upon strong institutions, proactive market monitoring and international cooperation. As food markets become increasingly interconnected, strengthening national enforcement capacity while deepening regional and international collaboration will remain essential to promoting competitive markets and protecting consumer welfare.

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