Putin Is Running Out of Potatoes

Potatoes don’t often make headlines in Russia, or internationally.

On average, Russians eat about one kilogram of potatoes per person every week. But this spring, the humble staple has become a symbol of the country’s growing food crisis, as prices have climbed to record highs.

According to Russia’s Federal Statistics Office (Rosstat), a kilogram of potatoes now costs nearly 95 rubles (just over $1), almost three times higher than a year ago.

For many Russian pensioners, whose monthly incomes average just above $215, this is a painful increase.

A Chain Reaction

According to Der Spiegel, the roots of the problem are simple.

After a strong harvest in 2023, farmers planted fewer potatoes this year, expecting prices to stay low. But late frosts in May hit the new crops hard, slashing production by nearly 12%, down to 17.8 million tons.

With domestic supply falling, Russia has been forced to triple its imports, bringing in potatoes from as far away as Egypt, China, Pakistan, Turkey, Belarus, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Mongolia. Imported potatoes, of course, come at higher prices.

In regions like Buryatia near Mongolia, officials have voiced frustration as local fields struggle to meet demand, while Mongolian farmers, who only started large-scale potato farming in the 1960s, enjoy better harvests.

In some areas, local governments are trying to control the shortage by banning exports of potatoes to neighboring regions.

For example, officials in Leningrad region have stopped potato shipments to prevent further price spikes.

The crisis has even forced Vladimir Putin himself to acknowledge the problem publicly:

“We don’t have enough potatoes,” Putin admitted, blaming bad weather and falling supply from Belarus.

Putin’s ally, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, promised to help fill the gap. But even Belarus has had to lift its ban on potato imports from the EU to meet its own needs.

Government Calls for Patience

Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut told Putin that prices should stabilize by July when the new harvest hits stores. In the meantime, she made headlines by announcing that she would personally give up eating potatoes to make more available for others.

But many Russians are already feeling the squeeze.

Pro-Kremlin politician Sergei Mironov mocked the minister’s statement, pointing out that for many, potatoes aren’t the only luxury:

“A kilogram of raspberries costs almost as much as a can of caviar,” Mironov said. “Even strawberries and apples are too expensive.”

Economists say the war in Ukraine is making Russia’s food problems worse. Beyond poor weather and bad harvests, inflation, higher production costs, and labor shortages are putting extra pressure on agriculture.

Janis Kluge, a Russian economy expert from Germany’s SWP think tank, points out that many seasonal workers have left farming for better-paying jobs in the military or defense industry, further hurting food production.

“When workers can earn more in the army, they leave,” Kluge explained.