In Russia, vegetable prices have skyrocketed by 56 percent
In Russia, prices for staple vegetables have risen sharply over the past six months. The cost of the so-called “borscht set” increased by an average of 56% from December 2025 to June 2026, while official inflation during that period was only 4.64%.
In Russia’s regions, vegetables that make up the traditional borscht mix have become significantly more expensive. According to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, from December 2025 to June 2026, the average cost of such a basket rose from 205 to 320 rubles.
The Foreign Intelligence Service noted that prices for potatoes, cabbage, beets, carrots, and onions rose significantly faster than those of other goods. “Official inflation in Russia during the same period stood at only 4.64%. In other words, prices for staple vegetables rose 12 times faster than all goods and services combined,” the intelligence agency reported.
Cabbage saw the sharpest price increase
Among the main vegetables, the sharpest price increase was recorded for cabbage. Over the course of six months, its price rose from 34 to 58 rubles per kilogram—an increase of approximately 70%.
Potatoes became almost as expensive. Their price rose from 43 to 73 rubles per kilogram, or by 69%. Carrots became 52% more expensive during this period, onions 49%, and beets 42%. As a result, the standard basket of potatoes, cabbage, onions, beets, and carrots has become 115 rubles more expensive on average.
Where Vegetables Are Most Expensive
The highest vegetable prices were recorded in Russia’s remote regions. According to the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (SZR), the most expensive vegetable basket in June was in Chukotka, where it cost 1,675 rubles. This is approximately five times higher than the national average.
Prices were also high in Yakutia, where a basket of vegetables cost 681 rubles, and in Kamchatka—629 rubles. At the same time, significant price increases occurred in Russia’s central regions as well. The Samara Region led the way in terms of the rate of price increases. There, the cost of a basket of vegetables nearly doubled—rising by 97%, from 159 to 312 rubles.
Among the regions with the highest increases were also the Moscow Region, where prices rose by 93%; the Bryansk Region—by 92%; Mari El—by 89%; the Ulyanovsk Region—by 86%; and the Penza Region—by 84%. “These are not just remote or poor regions. Significant price increases were recorded even in the central part of the country, including the area around Moscow,” the SZR stated.
Even in Moscow, vegetables have become more expensive
The price hikes have not spared Russia’s largest cities either. In Moscow, the cost of a basket of vegetables rose by 76% over half a year—from 211 to 370 rubles.
In St. Petersburg, prices rose by 64%. According to Russian statistics, the upward trend in prices continued in July. In just the first weeks of the month, beets rose in price by another 4.8%, cabbage by 3.1%, and potatoes by 2.8%. Thus, staple vegetables, traditionally considered among the most affordable foods, have become significantly more expensive in many regions of Russia in a short period of time. This information was reported by the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
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