Putin's potato crisis: Russia at the limit-what threatens now!

Putin's potato crisis: Russia at the limit-what threatens now!

Am Hart, Deutschland - The situation in Russia presents itself in a serious light, while negotiations for an end to the Ukraine War have failed. President Vladimir Putin has publicly recognized that his country is facing a serious potato crisis. He admitted on state television: "We don't have enough potatoes." What sounds like a tapped pun at first is an expression of a much deeper problem for the Russian population, which is dependent on the tuber vegetables as a staple. According to Merkur there was a dramatic increase in potato prices-by 166.5 percent compared to the previous year alone.

The reasons for this crisis are multifaceted. On the one hand, Russia suffers from unfavorable weather conditions such as drought and spring frosts, which the harvest in 2024 reduced by 12 percent to just 7.3 million tons. This is 1.2 million tons below the required need. At the same time, the Ukraine War and Western sanctions exacerbate the situation, since modern agricultural technology and necessary imports are limited. The discussion about the causes of the potato crisis is underpinned by Telepolis

Missing import orders and price increases

Another factor is the drastic decline in SaatiPorte for potatoes, which decreased by 93 percent within a year. In a country in which 47 percent of the budget flow into the army and only 0.3 percent in agriculture, it is no wonder that the situation is critical. Belarus, an important partner for Russia, cannot deliver enough potatoes, as President Alexander Lukashenko emphasized, who has already sold all harvest yields. As a result, people in Russia have to use potatoes and other foods vigorously into their pockets. Another increase in inflation of 12.66 percent in food gives the whole grinding.

HEATHERNOT In foods also affects the global markets, and Ukraine and Russia, which are both central exporters of agricultural goods, are struggling with the consequences of the war. As the analysts of Statista , Russia's share in the global wheat exports is around 20 percent. An export agreement that was signed between the two countries to reduce food bottlenecks in 2022 was suspended in July 2023, which further presses global care.

in the footsteps of the crisis

In the past, Russia was faced with great bottlenecks, such as during the egg crisis around Christmas 2023. The invitation to increase potato cultivation in Belarus reveals the urgency of the situation. Not only potatoes, but also the vodka, which is made from potatoes, is in danger. In addition, real wages in Russia have dropped by twelve percent since sanctions, while households have to spend 34.6 percent of their income for food - the highest value since 2008.

The potential social unrest that could result from the situation should not be underestimated. Russia is at a critical point where the West answers with new sanctions and the people in the country remain hungry. The economic difficulties combined with an increase in food prices and the associated despair form an uncertain future for the Russian population.