Russia faces egg crisis aftershocks

In recent months, Russia has been grappling with a significant egg crisis that has sent shockwaves through its economy and society. The crisis, marked by soaring prices and widespread shortages, has become a pressing issue for the Kremlin, highlighting deeper economic vulnerabilities and sparking political concerns.

In recent months, Russia has been grappling with a significant egg crisis that has sent shockwaves through its economy and society. The crisis, marked by soaring prices and widespread shortages, has become a pressing issue for the Kremlin, highlighting deeper economic vulnerabilities and sparking political concerns.

The egg crisis began to unfold in late 2023 when the price of eggs surged by over 40%. This dramatic increase was attributed to a combination of factors, including supply chain disruptions, rising feed costs, and a series of avian flu outbreaks that decimated poultry populations. As a result, the availability of eggs plummeted, leading to long queues and empty shelves in supermarkets across the country.

The situation quickly escalated into a political issue, with President Vladimir Putin’s administration taking swift action to address the crisis. The Investigatory Committee launched an inquiry into potential price fixing, while the Federal Security Service (FSB) was tasked with cracking down on hoarding. These measures, however, have done little to alleviate the immediate impact on consumers, who continue to face high prices and limited supplies.

• In an effort to stabilize the market, the Russian government temporarily lifted import duties on eggs and began emergency imports from neighboring countries.
• By early January 2024, around a million eggs had been imported from Azerbaijan, with additional shipments arriving from Turkey. Despite these efforts, experts estimate that it would take approximately 500 million eggs per month to significantly reduce prices, a target that remains out of reach.

The egg crisis has also exposed broader economic challenges facing Russia. For over a decade, the country had prided itself on being nearly self-sufficient in egg production, relying on imports for only a small fraction of its needs. The current shortage, however, has underscored the fragility of this self-sufficiency and the vulnerability of Russia’s agricultural sector to external shocks.