MOSCOW, December 9. Rising prices for tomatoes and cucumbers is associated with the seasonality, but not with restriction of Turkish supplies. This was reported by the interviewed experts.
See also
Russia responded Turkey for downed aircraft economic measures
According to Rosstat, the increase in prices from 1 to 7 December 2015 for fruit and vegetable products on average amounted to 1.6%, including fresh tomatoes – 6,6%, cucumbers – 4,4%.
“This is due to the fact that we have every year in this period of time in the country starts rising prices. It happens every year: the price starts increasing from October, reaches its peak around February, and then begins gradually to fall. If this is some kind of share growth, associated with restriction of import of vegetables from Turkey, it is, in our opinion, negligible. The annual trend continues, and there is nothing supernatural there, so now the business begins to change their routes, the vegetables are starting to come from other countries. “Turkish syndrome” has already passed, you can say”, – said the President of the Union of vegetable producers Sergei Korolev, commenting on the situation.
According to the Director of branch Agency FruitNews Irina Koziy, the rise in prices of vegetables in December is primarily due to seasonal factors. “Now it is the period when the price of all the vegetables traditionally goes up. In addition, we are close to the New year – a season of excessive demand, when people are in a festive anticipation ready to spend more on your Desk,” he said. In her opinion, the embargo on Turkish products that will be introduced from 1 January 2015, prices and availability on the shelf is not yet affected.
However, in the “Rusprodsoyuz” do not exclude that the price growth could be affected by the lack of these types of vegetables on the Russian market. “The price increase may be due to a temporary limited supply of tomatoes and cucumbers in the market. In addition, the price increase affects the traditional seasonality factor,” said Director of development “Rusprodsoyuz” Dmitry Vostrikov.
Korolev believes that the growth in prices will continue, however there exists a limit level, when consumers will refuse to import with summer vegetables, replacing them with domestic seasonal. “Prices will still grow as they grew in the past year. And if they rise, they rise high to the level that will be the limit for our customers. The consumer can easily opt-in to the winter period of time from the purchase of tomatoes and cucumbers, while their diet is quite varied, will remain. Last year we came in retail for the tomatoes to about 200 rubles (per kg. – ed.). After that, prices began to decline because people stopped buying. Above 200 roubles (per kg.) if the prices will begin to rise, it will not last for long and will start to fall,” said Korolev.
“This factor (the closure of Turkey – ed.) may affect the pricing later. The time lag will be a few weeks. I think the price increase is expected to be February, not before,” says Goat.
