MOSCOW: At a bustling market on the north side of Moscow, shoppers are upset: after last summer's devastating fires, staples such as cabbage and potatoes are suddenly pricier than the fancy new imported foods. Booming developing world demand was already pushing up the price of basic food items when Russia was hit by a catastrophic drought that eventually forced the Kremlin to call a halt to all wheat exports last year. But the emergency measure provided only temporary relief, with both shoppers and analysts noting an alarming new trend developing on the shelves of stores stretching from Vladivostok in Russia's Far East to Kaliningrad near Poland. “Since the summer, potatoes have become unaffordable,” said 30-year-old Marina, a regular shopper at the Moscow market. Since the middle of December, the price for a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of potatoes has almost doubled from 25 rubles (85 US cents) to more than 40, leaving many shoppers shaking their heads in dismay. Staring speculatively at a fruit and vegetable counter, pensioner Maria says she now thinks twice before making a purchase. “Everything has gone up (in price): sausage, meat, milk ... not to mention vegetables. It is impossible! So now I am buying fewer items.” Like Maria, many customers have trimmed their shopping lists to the dismay of vendors, who are seeing more and more of their favourite clients walk out of stores empty-handed. “The customers I had who were buying two or three cartons of milk are now buying just one,” said Ruben, a dairy produce vendor. – Agence France
