Easy access to information is a condition for the efficient operation of markets, and the agri-food market is no exception. Besides the production and dissemination of information by the private sector, the EU legislator has deemed it necessary for the public sector to gather and disseminate information to market participants on prices and volumes for different sectors in the food supply chain (FSC). Agricultural producers and small and medium-sized operators can be at a significant disadvantage to larger operators in the FSC, be it due to structural reasons or simply due to the fact that acquiring information can be costly. The Agricultural Markets Task Force report of 2016 ascertains that the asymmetry of information in the food supply chain creates mistrust in relation to price transmission and the distribution of value added. This low trust implies higher transaction cost for all operators of the chain, to the detriment of all, including farmers and consumers.

Study on the role of information and communication technologies to improve market transparency