MINSK, 28 February (BelTA) – The growth of prices for a number of foods is a reason for concern. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement during the 8th Congress of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus (FTUB) on 28 February, BelTA has learned.
Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “What do we have now? The general indicators seem to be good. As for food, I am concerned about reports that in January 2020 prices already grew by more than 1%. Prices for dairy products have been rising constantly virtually for a year as well. Total idiocy. We have abundant supplies of milk while domestic prices keep rising. We cannot supply our nation with this product.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that trade unions should not stay away from the problem. “You are in the first ranks. Protect the people. You can do it. Work together with the State Control Committee to resolve the problem,” the president stressed. “Everyone wants to trade these days. Why? Because life is sweet in this line of business. And you know the current trade practices. Well, they will not become poor if they keep prices for 20 socially important foods steady.”
In his address to the nation and the parliament in April 2019 Aleksandr Lukashenko already mentioned that citizens evaluate the growth of prices by focusing on 10-20 staple products and services instead of the overall consumer basket. Instructions were given to the central government, the Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade Ministry, and trade unions to secure affordable prices for the most important products, on which lives of primarily low-income families and pensioners depend on.
“We will soon draw a bottom line for all the chicanery around prices. We may have to resume state control over those 20 staple products [prices for which were subject to state regulations in the past],” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. He noted that inflation in Belarus equals only 5% per annum but it does not mean that prices do not alarm pensioners or people with low salaries.
According to the FTUB, in January 2020 consumer prices for many foods remained steady in comparison with December 2019. At the same time prices are on the rise for dairy products (butter, milk, sour cream, cheese, cottage cheese, sour milk products) as well as carrots, beetroot, eggs, and buckwheat. An increase in prices for tomatoes and cucumbers has been registered. Prices for pork and oat groats have dropped by 5.2% and 1.3% respectively.
