In June, Vladimir Putin extended the embargo on the import of food products from the United States and countries belonging to the European Union into the Russian Federation for a year. It is prohibited to import into the country: milk and dairy products, fresh and processed (salted, smoked, dried, frozen) meat of pigs and cattle, poultry products, seafood, nuts, fruits, fish, vegetables and various products from of the above.
Perhaps the list, at the suggestion of the Ministry of Agriculture, will include flowers and various confectionery products. The estimated total annual volume of imported goods subject to the ban is $ 9 billion (for comparison: imports of products in 2014 totaled about $ 40 billion).
According to Rosstat statistics, food prices in Russia in the first half of 2015 increased by 12.1%, which is 10 times higher than the same European indicator. In the first quarter, prices experienced explosive growth, remained at the same level in April, and even decreased by 0.1% in May. The rise in prices is due to the "weight loss" of the ruble and the reduction in supply. Stocks purchased at lower prices have run out, and domestic products have risen in price due to increased prices for raw materials. Also, one of the reasons for the rise in prices was the increase in logistics costs. This is due to a change in suppliers.
Over the current year, food prices have increased by 15%, but wages have remained at the same level. The purchasing power of the population served as the limit for the rise in prices: the food basket of Russians decreased significantly (for example, sales of meat and meat products decreased by 5%). Thus, a consequence of the fall in the purchasing power of the population may be that trade for some time will stop the rise in food prices due to the need to empty overcrowded warehouses. The effect of the new harvest should also have an impact. Therefore, the Ministry of Economic Development claims that the cost of food products may decrease in the next two to three months by 2-2.5%.
Here are seven products that rose in prices in Russia between January and May 2015.
7. Cheese, eggs and dairy products
These products, which are in consistently high demand, have risen in price the least - by 5.7%.
6. Meat and various products from it
For the pleasure of making shish kebab, borscht with beef and other meat delights, now you need to pay for 6.7% more.
5. Cereals and bakery products
"Bread and porridge - our food" (something without which it is difficult to imagine the everyday menu of a Russian) rose in price by 11.2%.
4. Oils and various fats
Regular use of oil may round the waist, but it certainly helps to significantly reduce the amount of money in your wallet. Oils and fats began to cost 13.6% more than last year.
3. Sweets
Delicious products that are designed to cheer up are only upsetting consumers in 2015. Chocolate, jams, sugar, sweets have risen in price by 14.3%.
2. Fish and seafood
Seafood in Russia has risen in price by 17.4%.
1. Fruits and vegetables
Topped the top 7 most expensive products in 2015.Vegetables increased the most in price (by 26.7%). Fruits were not far behind: prices for them jumped by 24.9%.