Why onions cost 90 rubles on Russian shelves
The May holidays are over and Russians are now justifiably waiting for a seasonal rise in food prices, especially vegetables. There are no illusions here. Even the head of the Central Bank recently urged not to relax. Allegedly, the regulator expects a gradual increase in inflationary pressure by the end of the year. In general, sooner or later, but we will have to tighten our belts more tightly. «MK» went along the shelves to find out which products have risen in price the most.
So far there has been no noticeable price increase. At first glance, everything is more than fine. In the first four months of this year, according to recently published data from Rosstat, consumer prices rose by 2.06%, which is a record: a year ago, over the same period, they added almost 12%. Well, in annual terms, inflation in Russia slowed down to 2.3% — such low figures have not been observed for several years either …
Statistics, as we see, are optimistic, especially when compared with data from the «unfriendly» West In the eurozone, in April, inflation accelerated to 7% in annual terms. And, say, in Hungary, the increase in food prices since the beginning of spring has generally been 45%.
If we return to domestic shelves, we are traditionally most worried about the prices of vegetables, which are so abnormal and almost grew a year ago. How is it now?
True, the growth in prices for fruits and vegetables in April accelerated to 1.61% after 0.06% in March. But that's what always happens in the spring. Their vegetables are becoming unusable, trade shelves are filled with imports. Domestic potatoes have completely fallen in price — from 26 rubles to 19 per kilogram. But what are these tubers? Already rotten and soft, it is even strange to see them in retail chains. Nearby, young potatoes from Egypt flaunt, but for 80-90 rubles.
The buyer is still surprised by the prices for onions. 85-90 rubles per kilo. In April, according to statistics, he became the leader in price growth, having risen in price by as much as 22.6%. Back in December last year, it cost our wallet 16-19 rubles per kilo. And in four months it has risen in price by 4-5 times!
White cabbage also updated the price tag, it has risen in price by 22.5% over the past month.
— There are no problems with cabbage, say the customers . — She does not need much in the economy. It will cost at least 70 rubles, everyone can afford it. But potatoes and onions — you can't cook anything without them…
— Have you seen the prices? — interlocutors are outraged. — Four feathers cost almost 100 rubles. Yes, they are only suitable for salads. There is nothing to replace the «turnip» with…
Actually speaking, there is something. Here, in the supermarket, leeks are sold. Its price has been and remains stable, without any hesitation. And in December last year, and in May this year, it costs … 300 rubles per kilogram.
By the way, Europeans are crazy about him, they say that he is very useful. And the Russians stubbornly do not understand: why is it better than onion, and even so expensive? Moreover, many are sure that the «turnip» was planted less due to the fact that its area is occupied by this very leek.
In fact, in the last five years, onion plantings in the country have decreased by about half. Our vegetable growers have been supplanted by Asian ones, where the resources for growing this vegetable — including the cost of labor — are much cheaper. Even taking into account transportation to retail chains, the Asian product was cheaper than the domestic one. However, last winter, the Central Asian partners in the CIS significantly reduced their supplies to Russia, as a significant part of their onions died in the cold.
In the Volgograd region, one of the largest producers of onions, stocks ran out at the end of February . Now we buy Egyptian, Turkish, Chinese and partially Central Asian onions. Hence the rise in prices.
Experts say that this is not the last rise in price. There will be more and more until the end of July, when a new crop will finally come from the southern regions. But no one knows yet who the Ministry of Agriculture will rely on — a Russian or a Central Asian farmer — in the current sowing campaign. market, fair price for this vegetable.
— For onions, it was below the plinth, — says the head of the apparatus of the union Tatyana Gubina. — And as soon as the cost rises by 5 rubles, everyone immediately starts shouting: “Expensive!” or «Inflation!» And nobody is interested in the fact that our onion growers worked at the limit of profitability.
— This is an imported product, all questions are for importers. Ours is cheaper, early onions are already starting to arrive from Dagestan. Imports come from Azerbaijan, Egypt, and some other countries.
— 55,000 hectares of onions for Russia were traditionally grown in Kazakhstan. Due to bad weather, the harvest was small. In addition, crops in other Central Asian republics suffered during the winter. These factors have caused an artificial scarcity. The situation will improve by the end of the year.