Fruits and vegetables will rise in price the government washes its hands

In may, the Russians will face a new wave of rise in price of products. To the already traditional problems of recent months, caused by falling ruble and rising prices of food imports, added a new trouble. According to market participants, the recommendation of the CPS on the introduction of the ban on the weighing fruit and vegetables by the buyers leads to additional costs for manufacturers and retailers. To compensate, of course, be due to the Russians. The price of each kilogram of the products to the buyer, can grow to 20 rubles. To restrain the rise in prices of socially important products could state, but it is in the face of the Ministry of industry and trade decided to abandon the idea of artificial regulation of the market, simply he washed his hands.

the Food is always the first expense that any family, no matter how strong the crisis raged outside the window. This could not are the players of the food market. And if earlier it was about the rise in price of optional products such as ginger and coffee, now it was the turn of socially significant products.

the price can grow vegetables and fruits — components of a grocery basket. The Association of retail companies said that the limit is independent of sample products, announced Thursday, will require networking additional material costs.

meanwhile, it is based on the cost of the edible set is calculated using the minimum wage (SMIC), and than it is “easier”, the lower cost of living. Conversely, if the food basket becomes more expensive, the state should seek funding to increase all benefits. But the problem is that the budget is not rubber.

“a revision of the basket will require to increase the minimum wage and the subsistence level, and pensions and social benefits, — says the Executive Director of the Goldman Group Dmitry Helmersen. — What our state in crisis is unlikely”.

At the same time a restriction on an independent weighing of the goods will inevitably lead to its rise in price. If the producers themselves begin to Repack their products, as retailers will no longer accept the “naked” fruits and vegetables, the price will rise very significantly, says the head of production and logistics Consumer Holdings Alexander Samarin. “In this case, the value of additional works will be added to the margin of the network: on average, 50-80%, and fruits and vegetables — 100-150%, he notes. — This means that the cost of the work performed by the supplier, for example 4-5 rubles for the operation on the shelves will result in already at 10-12 rubles. If you consider that the bulk of the vegetables and fruits sold in pack of 450-600 grams, the price of each kg of product for the buyer could grow to 20 rubles.”

experts believe that the ban on self-weighing will speed up grocery inflat��Yu, who since the beginning of the year for certain types of products has exceeded 10%.

the Rise in food prices in the period of the pandemic — undoubtedly, is the speculative nature of the claim of the respondents “MK” analysts. “Taking this opportunity, some unscrupulous manufacturers to increase the price more than required by the current economic situation, so the element of unreasonable growth of cost here, too, there,” — said a leading analyst of the Forex Optimum Ivan kapustyasky.

Despite this, market experts support the refusal of the Ministry of industry and trade ideas from price regulation. In their opinion, if the mechanism of administrative regulation of prices, relatively speaking, to milk, bread, eggs were included, many manufacturers would prefer to reduce their activities, which will cause a shortage of products.

“the Decision to abandon the idea of price regulation justified, — says Alexander Samarin. Providers would become unprofitable to ship a particular product. In the first place it would have affected the long-term storage products with low cost. On the shelves would remain the only goods of average price group and premium class”.

meanwhile, according to the chief analyst of Teletrade Mark Goichman, the government can prevent price-fixing, for example, by passing trade large amount of products from the state reserve intended in case of war, epidemics and natural disasters. “There are canned goods and other foods, from which you can create food packages for vulnerable population,” he said.

Demand for food economists call very price elastic. This means that the rise in price of consumer interest in food is not reduced, since we are talking about commodities. Therefore, suppliers and traders tempted to raise prices, because the sales from this little will decrease, and revenue will be much greater. Well, reasons can always be found: the ruble will fall, the terms hanging, not satisfied.