Russia's President, Putin, acknowledges the current scarcity of potatoes within the nation.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted to a potato shortage in the country during a state TV broadcast on Tuesday. Putin disclosed that the nation's supply is running short, with prices skyrocketing as a result. The neighboring country of Belarus has already faced its own potato shortage.
During his address, Putin revealed that he had met with agricultural sector representatives on Monday. "It transpired that we are facing a deficit of potatoes," he said. It seems Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko shared the same sentiments, stating, "We've already sold everything to Russia."
Potatoes are a fundamental element in Russia's diet, essential for various dishes and even in vodka production. Retail prices for potatoes have seen a sharp rise for quite some time. According to the state statistics agency Rosstat, prices climbed by 92 percent last year and rose by 166.5 percent in May compared to the previous year.
This surge in prices follows a poor harvest affected by unusual frost periods and persistent drought. In 2024, the harvest shrank by nearly 12 percent to 17.8 million metric tons, which is below the annual requirement of around eight million tons.
Belarus, traditionally a significant supplier, can no longer meet Russia's demand due to its own shortages. In a bid to help their Russian counterparts, Lukashenko has urged the Belarusian population to produce more potatoes.
Reports from the "Moscow Times" indicate that people in Belarus have been complaining about limited potato supplies and poor quality in stores for months. Authorities in Minsk approved price hikes for potatoes, cabbage, and onions in April. In early May, Lukashenko also acknowledged a shortage of potatoes in Belarus.
Source: ntv.de, jpe
In this scenario, the potential sentences could be:
- Concerned citizens may want to pay attention to their local community policies to perhaps implement initiatives that encourage increased potato farming, given the current shortages and surging prices of potatoes in food-and-drink sectors across both Russia and Belarus.
- While the potato shortage and price hikes in food-and-drink industries have dominated the general-news, it's worth considering the potential impacts of these policies on employment, specifically in the agriculture and food sectors, where employment policies might need to be adjusted to accommodate the growing demand for potatoes.
