Russia Faces Potato Crisis as Putin Confirms Soaring Prices and Shortages

On Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the growing potato shortage in Russia, attributed to disappointing crop yields that have led to unprecedented price surges.

“Yesterday [Monday], I met with representatives from various industries, including the agricultural sector. It appears that we’re facing a potato deficit,” Putin stated during a televised meeting. “I had a conversation with [Belarusian President] Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko, and he mentioned, ‘We’ve already sold all our potatoes to Russia.’”

Lukashenko’s press office humorously noted the day before that Belarus had already planted more potatoes.

For months, citizens in Belarus have reportedly voiced their dissatisfaction with the poor quality and limited availability of potatoes in stores. In April, Minsk authorities approved price increases for potatoes, cabbage, and onions. By early May, Lukashenko acknowledged that potato shortages were becoming a significant issue.

In Russia, the price of potatoes has surged dramatically. As per the state statistics agency Rosstat, retail prices skyrocketed by 92% last year. By May 2025, prices had escalated by 166.5% year-on-year, making potatoes the food item with the fastest rising costs in the nation, setting a record for the largest annual increase since the statistics began in 2002.

Furthermore, Russia has emerged as the world’s most expensive market for wholesale potatoes. Agricultural analytics firm AB-Center reported that wholesale prices spiked 285.5% year-over-year by early April, increasing from 11.4 rubles ($0.14) to 42.4 rubles ($0.53) for each kilogram (excluding VAT).

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

The price increase is a consequence of a poor harvest, which was impacted by unexpected frosts and an extended drought. In 2024, Russia harvested 7.3 million metric tons of potatoes, a decline of 1.2 million tons compared to the previous year.

Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut has indicated that local demand is around 8 million tons per year.

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

Deputy State Duma Speaker Boris Chernyshov has urged for temporary state intervention to regulate retail potato prices.

“Potatoes are often referred to as the second bread,” Chernyshov expressed in a letter to Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov. “Sudden price fluctuations of such a socially important product burden the budgets of millions of families.”

Meanwhile, some regional leaders have taken action. On Tuesday, Governor Alexei Besprozvannykh of the Kaliningrad region prohibited potato exports after local prices soared and shortages began to appear.