MOSCOW, 24 March (BelTA) – The Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) and Belarus agreed on the prolongation of price caps for staple products in Belarus. This information was posted by Aide to the Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Iya Malkina on her Facebook account, BelTA informs.
“Price caps for 17 commodity items will be extended for 90 days - from 1 April to 29 June. These commodities include freshly frozen fish, meat, milk and dairy products, sugar, buckwheat and other goods. The list of products is spelled out in Resolution No. 83 passed by the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade of Belarus on 28 December 2020. In addition to that, price caps for canned fish will be extended by 41 days - from 20 May through 29 June,” Iya Malkina wrote.
The Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union provides that member states can introduce price caps for certain types of goods in exceptional cases.
“According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, in January 2021 food prices increased by 8.8% globally compared to January 2020. Price rises affected Belarus' critical imports. The country also faced some issues related to food supplies due to the epidemiological situation,” she explained.
“I would like to note that these temporary measures did not create a barrier for other EAEU countries that want to sell their products on the Belarusian market,” Iya Malkina added.
