Russia is not the first country to suffer from so-called “egg inflation”, i.e. rampant egg prices. Eggs and agricultural products are particularly inflation-sensitive goods whose prices often rise rapidly during global crises.
At the beginning of 2023, the United States was hit by increased egg prices, and the price of their eggs then rose by 59 percent. Around Easter, egg prices in Sweden had also increased by 30.9 percent, and eggs then became the most expensive item on the Easter table.
Russian pensioner: “I’m horrified!”
In Moscow, empty egg shelves have now been seen in several supermarkets following the country’s rising inflation.
– I am horrified! What’s happening with prices is a nightmare, and not just for eggs, but for everything,” 76-year-old pensioner Yelizaveta Shalaevskaya told AFP in Moscow on Monday.
In order to rein in prices, the Ministry of Economy now announces that eggs will be exempt from customs duty until June 30, 2024. At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture proposes a six-month ban on the export of Russian eggs.
Citizens worry about the economy – praised by Putin
Experts, quoted in Russian media, say that egg prices are due to an increase in the prices of bird feed and veterinary products, which are indirectly caused by Western sanctions against imported goods.
Many Russians also express concern over the rising prices of basic foodstuffs and believe that it shows how fragile the Russian economy is.
President Putin, on the contrary, has long praised the Russian economy for its resilience – despite the fact that the purchasing power of the Russian population is shrinking while inflation is rising.
Eggs – an important ingredient
Eggs are an important ingredient in many traditional Russian holiday dishes, such as the mayonnaise-based Olivier salad – a must on the Russian New Year’s table.
And Jelena, a 60-year-old woman living in Moscow, is not going to let the high egg prices stand in the way of a successful New Year’s celebration.
– I will make Olivier salad for New Year’s anyway, even though the food has become more expensive, she tells AFP.