An unprecedented crisis in Russia's food sector is forcing the authorities to take extraordinary economic measures. The government plan involves a return to centralized pricing, which strongly resembles the administrative model from the Soviet era.
The motives for such intervention are more than obvious – explosive inflation has led to an unprecedented increase in basic food prices. The statistics are eloquent: potatoes have risen by an impressive 166%, which dramatically reduces the purchasing power of Russian households.
The Ministry of Agriculture has already developed two alternative scenarios for market intervention. The first includes introducing long-term fixed contracts that will cover at least 80% of commercial transactions. The contracts will have a limited opportunity for review – only once a year.
The second model involves creating a price corridor with precisely defined state boundaries for the most important food products. The scope includes 12 strategic goods: potatoes, carrots, cabbage, beetroot, onions, tomatoes, apples, cucumbers, milk, eggs, sugar, and sunflower oil.
The index of the so-called "borscht set" reaches a critical level – an average four-member family can afford only 179 portions per month, which represents the lowest consumption in the last five years.
If the draft laws are adopted, they will come into force from March 1, 2026. The government has the ambitious goal of having over 90% of supplies transition to fixed contracts by 2028, which represents a fundamental turn towards a Soviet-type planned economy.