Potato prices in Russia have surged by 52% since the beginning of 2025, driven by last year's suboptimal harvest. The 2024 potato crop faced a 12% decline due to adverse weather conditions, including spring frosts and heavy rains, which affected harvesting. Additionally, a reduction in the seeded area followed a bumper crop in 2023, previously leading to lower prices.
Retail data from Kommersant daily reveals that potato prices in supermarkets have tripled compared to the previous year, reaching 85.4 roubles ($1.05) per kilogram. In response to inflation concerns, the Russian government has removed import duties, aiming to increase potato imports to 376,000 tons in 2025. A significant portion of these imports, about two-thirds, originates from Egypt, a key importer of Russian wheat.
Russia's Potato Union forecasts an improved harvest this year, with expectations of increased seeded areas. The union predicts retail prices may decrease to approximately 60 roubles per kilogram when the new harvest arrives in June.
Some experts suggest that the decrease in the overall potato harvest is partly due to a reduced inclination among Russians to cultivate potatoes on personal land plots, a practice rooted in the Soviet era. Alongside potatoes, prices for other vegetables have also risen, with cabbage increasing by 49%, beets by 40%, and onions by 34% since the year's start.
Source: Reuters