Russia grapples with soaring potato prices and supply shortfall
The Russian vegetable market is experiencing a crisis. Potato prices have surged by 166.5%, and supplies are running low. The Russian Ministry of Agriculture admits that last year's harvests have been nearly depleted.
Price increases for vegetables are particularly challenging for consumers who rely on traditional dishes in their diet.
Drastic potato price hikes in Russia
The Russian vegetable market is facing serious challenges. Potato prices have soared by 166.5%. By the end of April 2025, the average retail price of potatoes was 84.7 rubles per kilogram (approximately €0.41 per pound), representing a 27.9 ruble increase since the beginning of the year. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that last year's harvest stocks are running out.
Due to dwindling domestic stocks, Russia is compelled to import potatoes from Egypt, Pakistan, and China. The cause of this situation is frosts and droughts that significantly reduced last year's harvest. The Moscow Times reports that Russian farmers harvested 7.3 million tonnes of potatoes, which falls short of the national demand of 8 million tonnes.
The Russian Ministry of Agriculture has admitted that imported products currently dominate the shelves, contributing to price increases.
Problems with other vegetables
Not only potatoes, but also other vegetables such as onions and cabbage, have seen considerable price increases. Onions have become 87.2% more expensive, and cabbage has increased by 56.8%. Harvests of these vegetables fell by 0.7% and 5.6%, respectively.
In mid-May, the average price of onions was 72.3 roubles per kilogram (approximately £0.28 per pound), and white cabbage - 75.2 roubles per kilogram (approximately £0.29 per pound).
Even beets and tomatoes did not escape price increases - these vegetables became more expensive by 11.9% and 1.2%. However, the Ministry of Agriculture does not perceive this as a major problem, claiming that the increase in vegetable prices is less than food inflation.
According to government data from Rosstat, from 2022 to 2024, prices of various products increased by a total of 31.7%, and in 2024 alone, inflation was 9.5%.
The Russian agriculture department plans to reduce reliance on imports by increasing the area of cultivation and expanding vegetable storage facilities. Currently, the storage capacity stands at 9.2 million tonnes, representing an increase of 147,000 tonnes compared to the previous year.
"Potatoes should not be a luxury"
As early as April 2025, Russian politicians began to highlight problems with potatoes. "Potatoes should not be a luxury; their price should be stable," assessed the Vice Chairman of the Duma, Boris Chernyshov, in an interview with "Komsomolskaya Pravda."
The potato crisis was triggered by exceptionally successful harvests in 2023, resulting in an abundance of potatoes that overwhelmed storage facilities. Despite this, more vegetables continued to be imported.
"In 2023, we had a record harvest, there were a lot of potatoes, which affected the price; farms lost profitability," and many decided to switch to other products, admitted Tatiana Gubina of the Potato Union.
