Blomkest Fertilizer, Inc. v Potash Corp. of Sask., Inc.

In the oligopolistic North American potash industry, several producers, including Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PCS) (defendant), signed a suspension agreement in 1988 setting a minimum U.S. price to resolve a government dumping complaint; prices then rose in step across the industry and stayed well above pre-agreement levels. Blomkest Fertilizer (plaintiff) sued PCS and other producers on behalf of potash consumers, alleging that price-verification communications between competitors and the suspension agreement itself showed unlawful collusion. The district court found the evidence insufficient to prove an antitrust violation and granted summary judgment for the defendants, and the plaintiffs appealed.