Potato Threat To Putin And Lukashenko
- 13.05.2025, 15:44
The root vegetable has disappeared from stores in the two countries.
According to EastFruit, Russia and Belarus are facing serious problems in 2025 in the potato market, which is a staple food for local consumers. Prices have reached record highs and continue to rise. Both dictators, Putin and Lukashenko, are concerned because potatoes have traditionally been one of the cheapest sources of calories for local consumers.
Potato price hike in Russia
Russia has seen an unprecedented rise in potato prices, with retail prices up 52% since the beginning of the year, reaching a record high of 85-130 rubles ($1.0-1.6) per kilogram. Consumers are puzzled why potato prices are higher than the cost of exotic fruits imported from distant countries.
Potatoes are one of the key factors contributing to Russia's main economic problem - very high inflation. In March 2025, Russia's annual inflation rate reached 10.3%, mainly due to exorbitant war spending.
The rise in potato prices in Russia is due to aggressive money printing to cover war expenses, as well as a decline in last year's harvest due to unfavorable weather conditions such as spring frosts and heavy rains. In addition, after a record harvest in 2023, many farmers reduced the area planted to potatoes in anticipation of lower demand, which has now led to shortages.
In response, the Russian government lifted import duties to increase potato imports, planning to triple them to 376,000 tons in 2025, with Egypt accounting for a significant portion of the supply. Currently, most of the potatoes on Russian supermarket shelves are imported from Egypt, Pakistan, China and other countries.
Since Russia has banned itself from importing potatoes and other products from the EU, the US, Ukraine and many other major global producers, it is limited to supplies from distant suppliers.
Belarus potato shortage amid exports
In the meantime, Belarus is facing its own potato crisis, characterized by domestic shortages and rising prices. The average price has reached 5 Belarusian rubles ($1.53) per kilogram. Consumers report difficulties in finding quality potatoes, and available stocks are often small and damaged.
Experts attribute this shortage to government price regulation, which makes it unprofitable for producers to sell potatoes on the domestic market. As a result, many farmers export their produce to Russia, where they can get higher prices. This dynamic has caused public discontent, prompting Alexander Lukashenko to comment publicly on the problem. He acknowledged the problem, explaining it by increasing exports to Russia and conflicting price expectations between consumers and farmers.