MOSCOW, August 14 (RIA Novosti) - Fluctuations in food prices in Russia’s regions are within market norms, Industry and Trade Minister Viktor Yevtukhov said Thursday.
“According to the statistics from the first [daily] reports for the period of time beginning on Saturday, there is no great fluctuation in prices, and changes in prices have not been noted, that is the fluctuation is within the market [norms],” Yevtukhov told Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich during a meeting on Russian regions.
Dvorkovich said that the regions have been watching for the appearance of price changes since August 9, and report about them to the Russian government.
Food price fluctuations have come to the center of attention in light of the ban that Russia imposed on food imports from the countries that implemented sanctions against Russia over the Ukrainian crisis. The ban was applied in response to Western economic sanctions and targeted beef, pork, fish, poultry, fruits and vegetables, nuts and dairy products.
Several countries affected by the food ban have already expressed their concern about the negative effect it might have on their economies.
The United States, the European Union and several other countries have imposed sanctions against Russia over its alleged role in escalating the crisis in Ukraine, targeting certain individuals and companies with asset freezes, visa bans and hindering their financial operations. Moscow has repeatedly said that applying sanctions is counterproductive and warned against their consequences.
