Cucumbers at 600 rubles per kg: farmers and traders explained the vegetable price explosion

Tariffs, complex logistics

An anecdote circulates on social networks: “Carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes colluded to undermine the credibility of the IMF analyst, which recently published a favorable forecast for the Russian economy in 2023.” Prices for vegetables made a forced march, breaking all records of the previous year. About why the cost of a kilogram of fresh cucumbers in the capital’s stores has risen above 350 rubles, experts say “MK”.

“Growing vegetables in our climate is costly, especially in winter,” says Igor Vasilyev, a Moscow-area farmer. – Tariffs for electricity, gas and heat have risen since the new year. And for the greenhouse industry, these are the main costs. Therefore, we are now, even by raising prices for our products, with difficulty going into a plus. Our individual entrepreneur grows greens, salads, and recently we also started mushrooms, we wanted to put two greenhouses specifically for cucumbers, but we calculated the costs – for fertilizer, compost, seeds – and realized that we would not pull it.

Nevertheless, according to Rosstat, since the beginning of the year, cucumbers have more than doubled in price – up to 350 rubles per kilogram in Moscow, while in other regions prices reach up to 600 rubles. But electricity tariffs have increased by a maximum of 7-8%. Where did such a rise in prices for greenhouse vegetables come from then?

“Electricity is only part of the cost, although the most significant for farms. In winter, plants in greenhouses especially do not have enough light, they have to be “lighted up”. In Russia, only large greenhouse farms and agricultural holdings can afford such a luxury, but there are not very many of them. I know that some well-known brands buy products from small manufacturers because their volumes are not enough. In the past, in winter, green vegetables came to us mainly from abroad, brought by Bulgarians, Poles, Serbs, and Turks. Now, due to sanctions, we do not work with Europe at all, so many suppliers have disappeared due to logistical problems. It turns out that there are few suppliers on the market, and those that exist can dictate any prices, ”explains Georgy, an employee of one of the Moscow retail chains.

According to him, the situation with vegetables has always been steadily rectified by Turkey, which traditionally supplies a lot of vegetables to our country, but no one knows what will happen now after the devastating earthquake. Perhaps Turkish cucumbers and tomatoes will be replaced by vegetables from Africa or Asia? In particular, deliveries from Egypt have already been established.

“Since March, daylight hours will increase, and many small private greenhouses that have suspended their work in winter will again supply vegetables to Moscow,” farmer Igor Vasilyev is sure.

The main thing, according to him, is that labor migrants from neighboring countries return on time, last year the shortage of labor was felt very sharply.

“Honest, hard-working assistants,” the farmer says, “are not easy to find, so you have to lure good workers with higher wages. And this also affects the final price of products.