Statistical figures from Rosstat, the Russian statistical service, show that a wide range of basic foodstuff and consumer goods is experiencing a dramatic price hike. Data from Murmansk, the Arctic region located along the border to Norway and Finland, show that prices on foodstuff like potatoes, carrots, onion and cabbage only in the first three weeks of January increased with 8.2 percent, 9.2 percent, 16.5 percent and 23.2 percent respectively.
Prices on other key foodstuffs like frozen fish, sugar and rice in the same period increased respectively 5.8 percent, 12.6 percent and 3.6 percent, figures from Murmanskstat, the regional branch of Rosstat show.
The major price increase on basic food products now poses a major challenge for medium- and low-income households. Especially vulnerable groups like pensioners and unemployed are hit hard.
The consumer price growth for January is bigger than for December. As illustrated by Patchwork Barents, the consumer price growth in regions like Murmansk, Arkhangelsk and Karelia in December ranged between 2.6 percent and 3.3 percent. The price growth was the biggest in the Republic of Karelia.
Patchwork Barents, a regional data portal, now offers monthly updates of Russian consumer price trends.
In the country as a whole, consumer prices grew 2.6 percent in December, and 11.4 percent in all of 2014. Inflation rates for 2015 could reach levels not seen since the 1990s. The last year with super-inflation was in 1995 when the prices hiked more then 130 percent.
