Russians are now required to pay for their eggs due to rumors of egg shortages in certain regions.

Based on statistics from the Federal Statistics Service, the price of eggs has increased at a pace above 4% for four weeks running.

President Vladimir Putin has expressed disapproval of the rising cost of eggs in Russia, which has led to government efforts to guarantee supply of the essential component for many popular holiday recipes. Reports of shortages in certain locations have also contributed to the price increase.

The Federal Statistics Service reports that over the last four weeks, the price of eggs has increased at a pace of more than 4%. These have increased in price by 42% from the year’s beginning, based on estimates made by Bloomberg using that data.

Reminiscent of the Soviet era’s food shortages, Russian media has reported lengthy lineups of customers waiting to purchase eggs in locations ranging from the Kuban in southern Russia to Novosibirsk, about 2,000 miles east in Siberia. These sources also state that stores have begun selling eggs individually to customers who cannot afford to buy a whole carton, and they have restricted the number of eggs supplied per customer.

The sharp increase in costs highlights how much Russian inflation affects citizens’ wallets; in fact, Putin was questioned about it during his lengthy press conference and live call-in event on Thursday. He criticized the administration for its “failure” to boost supplies by acting too late.

The timing couldn’t have been worse: the Russian leader is running for a fifth term in the March presidential elections, which coincide with the New Year’s and Christmas holidays, when eggs are a staple of many traditional recipes.

For this, the government is making every effort. In a Telegram post, the office of Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov said that he had given regional authorities instructions to check on egg farmers.

By March, companies are to raise the price of eggs by no more than 5%, according to a proposal by the Federal Antimonopoly Service. The RBC news service cited the agency’s letter to stores earlier this month.

The government’s approval on Wednesday to suspend taxes on the import of 1.2 billion eggs from supposedly friendly nations is perhaps the most significant development. The economics ministry stated in a statement that “this decision would help balance the domestic egg market and assure supply development.”

Published by : Reshraman