In one of Kazakhstan's cities, a wholesale supplier sold rice at 2.5 times the purchase price. This and other violations in the trade sector were uncovered by inspectors, reports infohub.kz.

According to the TV channel, in Karaganda, a wholesale supplier sold rice at 2.5 times the price they bought it for. The markup on this socially significant product was 160%, while only 15% is allowed. Of the 170 sellers checked, violations were found in all but 15. This was reported by the local Department of Trade and Consumer Protection.

Department staff regularly visit markets, supermarkets, and small shops. Sometimes they find egregious cases. For example, one wholesaler bought rice at 205 tenge and sold it at 556. Another seller added a 64% markup to cheese costing 3,353 tenge, selling it for over 5,500 tenge. A third bought tea at 472 tenge and sold it for 1,079 — a 130% markup.

In total, 170 entrepreneurs were checked, and violations were found in 155. The head of the Department of Trade and Consumer Protection for the Karaganda region, Abzal Rakhymbaev, noted: "Entrepreneurs mostly explain this by carelessness. But I want to note that we also have cases of repeated violations. For repeated violations, administrative fines are doubled."

Commissions conduct checks every week. Most violators exceed the allowed markup by 30-40%. In total, administrative fines of 4.5 million tenge have been imposed. Only prices for socially significant food products are controlled — 31 items.

Entrepreneurs believe that the 15% limit does not allow them to survive. Salikha Karipova, owner of a neighborhood store, said: "I run the store myself, even though I'm retired, because I can't afford to hire salespeople due to high taxes. We already add minimal markups, for example, on dairy products we add only 10%, on social goods also 10%, on sugar, cereals, rice no more than 10%, because as a pensioner, I feel sorry for people."

Svetlana Tiukova, also a neighborhood store owner, added: "Many are closing down because taxes are high. We pay pension contributions, we pay medical insurance. Our utility bills are rising every day."

Overall, compared to last year, prices have stabilized, according to the department. Last year they rose by almost 10%, this year by only 1.3%. But buyers do not notice this. At all points where the regional commission found overcharges, prices were reduced. In addition to price monitoring, department staff identify unjustified intermediaries and force sellers to purchase goods directly from producers.