Putin promised that Russians would have enough food

Russia is self-sufficient in almost all essentials, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

“For grain, self-sufficiency is 185.4%, for meat – 101.6%, for fish – 153%, for vegetable oil – 211%,” Putin said at a meeting during spring field work.

According to the president, the situation is slightly worse with milk and vegetables, which account for 85.7% and 89.2% of domestic consumption, respectively. “We have come close to the required indicators,” Putin assessed the situation.

Last year, a record crop of grain was harvested in Russia – 153.8 million tons, including over 100 million tons of wheat. But in this case, the situation is worse: the forecast is 123 million tons, of which 78 million tons are wheat, the head of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dmitry Patrushev, told Putin.

“The harvest must be absolutely dignified,” the president replied to the minister, adding that spring field work in all regions “is taking place as normal.”

According to Rosstat, last year the production of agricultural products in Russia increased by 12.6%, and food production – by 13.7%. At the same time, the purchasing power of Russian consumers, who experienced a new wave of declining real incomes and soaring inflation, decreased for 15 out of 24 staple foods.

If before the war the average income could buy 102.8 kg of beef per month, in 2022 it will be 97 kg. In terms of milk, the citizens of Russia will become poorer by 0.2 liters per year, and in terms of granulated sugar – by 151 kg.

The amount of salt that an average income can buy has fallen by 307 kg; tea – by 1.6 kg; margarine – 45 kg.

The purchasing power of pasta decreased by 39 kg: before the war, the average income allowed the purchase of 466.8 kg, and in 2022 – 427.6 kg. The same indicator for cabbage fell from 1117 kg to 942 kg, for onions – from 1232 kg to 1127 kg, for bread – from 676 to 662 kg.

In terms of flour, the Russians have become poorer by almost 50 kg: the average income in 2021 allowed them to buy 908.9 kg, and in 2022 already 859.2 kg. The purchasing power of rice fell by 58 kg, cereals – by 26 kg, butter – by almost 5 kg.

Sales of groceries in Russia in 2022 decreased by 1.5%, and in the first quarter of 2023 by another 3.4%. In real terms, taking into account cumulative inflation, Russian retail turnover has fallen below 2011 levels, MMI analysts have calculated.