Kathrine Frich
A staple ingredient in Russian kitchens has unexpectedly become a flashpoint in the debate over rising living costs.
As inflation pressures mount during the war in Ukraine, even everyday vegetables are drawing political attention.
Prices more than double
Cucumbers, widely used in salads and traditional dishes, have seen their prices surge in recent weeks.
Official data show that since December the average price has doubled to just over 300 rubles per kilogram, about $3.91.
Images circulating on social media suggest that in some stores prices are two or even three times higher.
The spike has prompted criticism from consumers and scrutiny from lawmakers ahead of parliamentary elections later this year.
Under pressure, including from members of the ruling United Russia party, the country’s antimonopoly regulator has written to producers and retailers seeking explanations for the increases.
Political backlash
“This winter, a new ‘delicacy’ has appeared in our stores: cucumbers,” said Sergei Mironov, leader of the Just Russia party in parliament.
He noted that the Agriculture Ministry blamed seasonality for the surge.
“They used the same explanation for last year’s ‘golden’ potatoes, and now it’s about ‘golden’ cucumbers,” Mironov said.
“What should people do? Just accept that they can’t afford the simplest foods?” he asked.
Producers have told consumers that prices are likely to fall next month as temperatures rise and domestic supply improves.
Inflation concerns
The cucumber controversy comes as overall prices have risen by 2.1% since the start of the year, partly due to an increase in value-added tax.
The central bank has forecast annual inflation of up to 5.5%.
Households have also complained about higher utility bills, fuel costs and restaurant prices, amid signs of economic slowdown after four years of war.
In some Siberian supermarkets, cucumbers now cost more than imported fruit such as bananas, prompting limits on how many customers can buy.
One major newspaper has even offered readers seeds to grow their own vegetables.
Yevgeny Popov, a lawmaker from the ruling party, sought to calm concerns online, saying prices would fall and that Russia was fully self-sufficient.
A user identifying herself as Svetlana responded:
“The prices for cucumbers and tomatoes are outrageous. They used to say that eggs were ‘ golden ‘ (because they were very expensive). Now cucumbers are gold.”
Sources: Digi24.
