Overview

• Russian retail potato prices have jumped about 166.5% year-on-year by May 2025, marking the steepest rise among food staples, according to Rosstat.
• On May 28, President Putin publicly acknowledged a domestic supply shortfall and requested that Belarus ramp up tuber production to stabilize Russian markets.
• Belarusian potato prices climbed 10% between January and March 2025 amid local shortages, prompting Minsk to lift a years-old ban on EU fruit, vegetable and tuber imports.
• The Kaliningrad governor has issued a decree banning regional potato exports after prices hit up to 100 rubles per kilo, aiming to protect local consumers.
• Economic indicators signal broader strain in Russia with inflation projected at 7.6% for 2025 and defense and security outlays set to absorb 40% of the federal budget.