The complaint filed by agro and food processing company, Himalya International, had alleged -- Simplot India, Simplot India Foods and Comida Foods -- of slapping anti-competitive provisions in joint venture agreements.
The three Simplot entities and Himalya have a joint venture company by name of Himalya Simplot Private Ltd. Simplot India is a subsidiary of global food and agribusiness conglomerate JR Simplot Company.
Himalya had alleged that as per terms of the joint venture agreement it was barred from selling its potato-based food products and food appetisers in the Indian market as all the "rights of exclusivity" were taken by Simplot resulting in appreciable adverse effect on competition within the country.
According to the fair trade watchdog, the exclusive selling and distribution arrangement "was the very purpose of the formation of the JV Company and was voluntarily adopted" by Himalya and Simplot to further their respective business interests and therefore the same cannot be termed to be anti-competitive.
"There is no case of any exclusivity imposed upon the Informant (Himalya) by the opposite parties (Simplot), as has been alleged in the information," CCI said.