Putin Addresses Soaring Potato Prices and Shortages as Russia Faces Agriculture Crisis

On Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the growing potato shortage in Russia, which is a result of disappointing crop yields that have led to unprecedented price increases.

“Yesterday [Monday], I had a meeting with business representatives from various sectors, including agriculture. It became clear that we are facing a potato deficit,” Putin stated during a televised discussion. “I had a conversation with [Belarusian President] Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko, who informed me, ‘We’ve sold all our potatoes to Russia already.’”

The day prior, Lukashenko’s press office had humorously suggested that Belarus had already increased its potato planting.

Reports indicate that Belarusians have been voicing complaints for months regarding the poor quality and scarcity of potatoes available in stores. In April, the authorities in Minsk approved price increases for potatoes, cabbage, and onions. By early May, Lukashenko acknowledged that a potato shortage had become an issue.

In Russia, the price of potatoes has skyrocketed. State statistics agency Rosstat reported a 92% increase in retail prices last year. As of May 2025, prices surged by 166.5% compared to the previous year, making potatoes the fastest-increasing food item in the nation and setting a record for the highest annual price increase since record-keeping began in 2002.

Additionally, Russia has become the most expensive market in the world for wholesale potatoes. Agricultural analytics firm AB-Center noted that wholesale prices soared by 285.5% year-over-year by early April, rising from 11.4 rubles ($0.14) to 42.4 rubles ($0.53) per kilogram (excluding VAT).

In contrast, the global average price is approximately 17 euro cents (about 15.5 rubles) per kilogram.

This price hike follows a poor harvest, which was attributable to unseasonal frosts and a prolonged drought. In 2024, Russia produced 7.3 million metric tons of potatoes, a decrease of 1.2 million tons from the previous year.

Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut has estimated that the annual domestic demand is around 8 million tons.

In light of this situation, the Russian government has authorized the import of potatoes without tariffs from “friendly countries” starting in January.

Deputy State Duma Speaker Boris Chernyshov has called for temporary government regulation of retail potato prices.

“Potatoes are often referred to as the second bread,” Chernyshov mentioned in a letter to Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov. “Significant price fluctuations in such a crucial product place a significant burden on the budgets of countless families.”

Some regional leaders have taken proactive measures. On Tuesday, Governor Alexei Besprozvannykh of the Kaliningrad region imposed an export ban on potatoes following a rise in local prices and the onset of shortages.