Russian imports of 1.2 billion eggs will be exempt from tariffs in the first six months of 2024 to control prices.
The price of eggs has risen by more than 40% so far this year and empty egg shelves can now be seen in Moscow supermarkets.
Russia is not the first country to suffer from so-called “egg inflation”, i.e. uncontrolled egg prices. Eggs and agricultural products are particularly inflation-sensitive goods, whose prices often rise quickly during global crises.
In early 2023, the United States was hit by rising egg prices, which subsequently increased by 59%. Around Easter, egg prices in Sweden also rose by 30.9%, with eggs then becoming the most expensive item at Christmas Eve dinner.
In Moscow, empty egg shelves were observed in several supermarkets due to rising inflation in the country. “I am horrified! What is happening with prices is a nightmare, not just for eggs, but for everything,” Yelizaveta Shalayevskaya, a 76-year-old pensioner, told AFP in Moscow on Monday.
In order to contain prices, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has now announced that it will exempt eggs from tariffs until June 30, 2024. At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture is proposing a six-month export ban on Russian eggs.
Citizens are worried about the economy, praised Putin
Experts quoted in Russian media claim that egg prices are due to rising prices of bird food and veterinary products, which are indirectly due to Western sanctions on imported products.
Many Russians are also expressing concern about rising prices for staple foods, seeing this as a sign of how fragile the Russian economy is.
president Wladimir PutinIn contrast, Russia has long praised the resilience of the Russian economy, even as the Russian population’s purchasing power shrinks as inflation rises.
Eggs are an important ingredient in many traditional Russian festive dishes, such as the mayonnaise-based Olivier salad, a must on the Russian New Year’s table.
Yelena, a 60-year-old woman living in Moscow, won’t let high egg prices get in the way of a successful New Year’s celebration. “I will continue to make Olivier salad for New Year’s Eve, even if the food has become more expensive,” he tells France Presse.