In February, foodstuff prices in Southern Russia went up by 20%

Residents of the Southern Federal and North-Caucasian Federal Districts (SFD and NCFD) complain about the continuing rise in food prices. According to the territorial statistical bodies and the Department of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS), in February, the prices for certain food groups went up by 6-20%. The highest growth was demonstrated by fresh vegetables, fruits and frozen fish.

Makhachkala residents believe that these figures declared by the Dagestani statistical authority are understated in many products – the real growth is much higher.

In the meantime, the FAS Department for Chechnya has claimed a stabilization of prices. According to their story, in certain cases the population itself provokes a sharp jump in food prices.

The price growth for foodstuffs outstrips the growth in other groups of goods, said Natalya Zubarevich, the director of the regional programme of the Independent Institute for Social Policy. However, according to her story, the regions of Northern Caucasus will suffer less from this burst in prices than other subjects of the Russian Federation, since much of the foodstuffs, consumed in the NCFD, are produced locally.

With regard to a possible reaction of NCFD residents to the rise in prices, Ms Zubarevich has noted that the rise in prices is unlikely to trigger any mass protests.

Earlier, the "Caucasian Knot" reported that sharp fluctuations of the rouble exchange rate observed last November and December triggered some panic in some regions of Southern Russia. In December, residents of NCFD regions stated the growth of foodstuff prices by 20-25%.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.