LitFin funds pesticide cartel case

LitFin is funding claims on behalf of more than 1,700 German farmers and agricultural businesses in what is shaping up to be one of Germany’s largest follow-on antitrust damages actions, with total claims reportedly approaching €250 million including interest.

The claims, which have now been formally filed, arise from a long-running cartel involving wholesalers of plant protection products that allegedly coordinated prices and market conduct between 1998 and 2015, inflating costs for farmers across Germany. The conduct was previously sanctioned by Bundeskartellamt, which imposed fines exceeding €150 million in 2020, clearing the way for private damages actions by affected purchasers.

The case is being led by WAGNER LEGAL, with economic analysis and quantification of harm provided by Charles River Associates.