Russia's Runaway Food Prices

By Free Republic | Created at 2024-12-23 19:28:41 | Updated at 2024-12-24 02:06:52 6 hours ago

Russia's Runaway Food Prices
Radio Free Europe ^ | 12/20/2024 | Ivan Gutterman

Posted on 12/23/2024 11:12:17 AM PST by marcusmaximus

As Russians prepare to celebrate the New Year or the week of public holidays that follows, they might notice this year's festive bill at the supermarket come out to significantly more than last year's – especially for fans of sandwiches with butter and red caviar, a New Year's dinner staple in the country.

In October of last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin denied that Russia was “spending too much money on guns and forgetting about butter,” prices of which have seen some of the biggest increases of all produce, growing by over 33 percent since the start of 2024.

Caviar, while far from being a staple food at almost 6,000 rubles (about $60) per kilo in December 2023, has shot up by over 50 percent this year to nearly 9,000 rubles per kilo. Potato prices, the basis of some of Russians' favorite New Year's dishes, like olivier salad and dressed herring, have increased the most – a kilo costs nearly twice as much as it did a year ago. Average prices for other basic goods, such as apples, herring, milk, oranges, and olive oil, have all increased by at least 15 percent in 2024, while olive oil, beetroot, and cabbage are up around 30 percent and red onions cost over 40 percent more than a year ago, according to official data.

-snip-

The price hikes have led the government to enter talks with retailers on implementing price reductions ahead of the New Year holidays, while Russian media have reported that cases of butter theft from stores have increased -- with police offering one woman allegedly caught stealing 29 blocks to avoid prosecution by volunteering for military service, a practice Putin legalized earlier this year as Russia seeks to recruit more people for the war in Ukraine.

(Excerpt) Read more at rferl.org ...

TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: putin; russia

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To: marcusmaximus

There’s been runaway food prices in America, too. I can name several products that are three times the price they were, two or three years ago.

2 posted on 12/23/2024 11:13:44 AM PST by Lazamataz (The BEST birthday present I ever got WAS DONALD TRUMP WINNING IN 2024!!!)

To: Lazamataz

I wonder what prices are doing in the Ukraine?

3 posted on 12/23/2024 11:16:14 AM PST by xp38

To: marcusmaximus

Russia need only give up on it’s goal to reassemble the old soviet union and this pain can end.

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5 posted on 12/23/2024 11:20:07 AM PST by aMorePerfectUnion (🦅 MAGADONIAN ⚔️ LIFE )

To: marcusmaximus

The American farmer/rancher can help these folks out a bit.

6 posted on 12/23/2024 11:20:50 AM PST by kawhill (Did they say why Willard? Are my methods unsound?)

To: TexasFreeper2009

"Russia need only give up on ~~its~~ its goal to reassemble the old soviet union and this pain can end."

Let me try. America need only give up on its goal to reassemble the old British Empire and this pain can end.

What a spurious, unintelligent argument you make.

To: marcusmaximus

Not a problem as long as you only buy cabbage and onions.

8 posted on 12/23/2024 11:23:28 AM PST by econjack

To: marcusmaximus

Last Saturday I paid $17.00 in a nondescript restaurant for a meatloaf lunch, plus an 18 percent gratuity. I declined the opportunity to tip 25 percent.

It makes me not want to eat out again.

9 posted on 12/23/2024 11:24:56 AM PST by jeffersondem

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