Putin's potato crisis: Russia in food crisis!

Putin's potato crisis: Russia in food crisis!

In a recent state television broadcast, President Vladimir Putin painted a serious picture of the food situation in Russia. Negotiations to end the Ukraine war have failed, with Putin admitting the country is facing a drastic potato shortage. The demand cannot be met due to the disastrous harvest and international trade problems. So Putin stated: “We don’t have enough potatoes.” This situation comes amid sharply escalating violence against Ukraine, which has prompted the West to impose new sanctions that further exacerbate Russia's economic situation.

The current potato crisis is due to several intensifying factors. The 2024 harvest fell by 12 percent to just 7.3 million tons, which is 1.2 million tons below actual requirements. In addition, potato prices have risen enormously in recent months: by up to 166.5 percent between April 2024 and May 2025. These price increases are not only the result of unfavorable weather conditions such as frost and drought, but also a direct result of geopolitical tensions and sanctions that hinder the import of modern agricultural technology.

Supply shortages and price increases

The current situation is alarming. Loud Telepolis Food prices in Russia have generally risen sharply; inflation in the food sector is 12.66 percent. The development of potato prices is particularly worrying: the price rose by 92 percent last year. Prices have continued to rise since May, putting pressure on households as 34.6 percent of Russian income is now spent on food, the highest since 2008. Real wages have also fallen by 12 percent due to inflation and sanctions.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed that his nation is unable to supply enough potatoes as all previous crops have already been sold to Russia. In order to compensate for the declining potato stocks, Lukashenko is now calling for increased potato cultivation in Belarus.

Consequences of the Ukraine War

The structural problems in Russian agriculture are further exacerbated by the ongoing war in Ukraine. The mobilization of labor to the front has led to an acute shortage of agricultural work, while government support programs have been massively cut in favor of military spending. Currently, 47 percent of the Russian budget goes to the army, while only 0.3 percent is invested in agriculture. In contrast, the EU supports its farmers with 58.7 billion euros per year, which corresponds to 1.2 percent of economic output.

In addition, trade relations with the West have weakened, meaning Russia has difficulty importing food. In the wake of the Ukraine conflict, the country reduced its potato seed imports by 93 percent within a year. The food crisis could worsen further as Belarus has also lifted a ban on imports of fruit and vegetables from the EU in order to address the supply shortage.

The potato crisis, confirmed by Vladimir Putin, has far-reaching consequences for Russian society. Potatoes are the second most important staple food in Russia after wheat and are vital to the survival of many households. A large part of the population relies heavily on this staple food, making the current situation a serious challenge for all Russian citizens.