In a peculiar twist, Vladimir Putin has implied that the dietary habits of Russians might be contributing to the country's escalating food prices. During an extensive live-broadcast press conference on state television, where he fielded questions about the economy, Putin faced the issue head-on as citizens express outrage over the skyrocketing prices of basic foodstuffs.

The cost of potatoes has shockingly surged by 78 percent, with significant price hikes also seen in cabbage, beetroots, and butter, ranging from 27 to 31 percent. At the outset of his conference, the Russian leader tackled economic matters, aiming to convince the populace that the situation was under control.

While conceding that inflation was indeed troubling, he proudly claimed that the nation's economic growth was set to hit nearly four percent this year. Shifting the focus to the specific problem of food price inflation, Putin suggested that the consumption of certain products had outpaced supply.

He cited meat consumption as an example, stating that Russians were consuming "significantly" more than the global average, which has led to a 9 percent increase in chicken prices and a 13 percent rise in beef prices this year. Additionally, Putin pointed fingers at domestic farmers for not producing enough milk, which he blamed for the increased cost of butter.

Putin
The price of food has skyrocketed in Russia

All this comes as Russia grapples with a high inflation rate hovering around 9 percent, reports the Express. The Bank of Russia has hiked interest rates to a record 21 percent in a bid to slash inflation by half.

Bank officials have cautioned that further rate increases could be on the horizon in the coming weeks. Once again, Putin sought to deflect any responsibility for the soaring inflation, insinuating that bank officials had been negligent in their duties.

Vladimir Putin
The Russian economy is currently suffering

He pointed out that experts had previously advised that interest rates should have been raised earlier than they were.

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