Critics of Lukashenko say that he “mutilated the economy” with rigid control of prices for the main food, such as potatoes. The restrictions introduced by Lukashenko in October 2022 in order to maintain low prices and prevent inflation, instead raised potatoes are much less profitable for farmers, the publication says. His opponents argue that the decisions made led to a decline in production and forced many farmers to sell their products to the aggressor country of Russia instead of supplying it to Belarusian sellers.
The small increase in potatoes did not keep up with the growth of expenses for farmers and retail merchants, and the country's demotivated farmers, in turn, were planted less than potatoes, writes Politico. Belarus collected 3.1 million tons of potatoes in 2024, while a year earlier this figure was 4 million tons.
The price control of prices introduced by Minsk made a profitable offer to Russia, the publication notes. In March, potatoes in Russia were more than two times more expensive than in Belarus. Belarus exported about 200 thousand tons of potatoes to Russia in 2024, becoming the main supplier of this main culture for her neighbor.
Due to the shortage of the authorities of Belarus, the export of potatoes was temporarily banned, including in Russia, without a license, starting in December 2024. Many farmers began to label healthy potatoes as spoiled and continued to supply it to Russia.
“The result of the shocks: small, scarce and places of rotten potatoes in Belarusian grocery stores – a phenomenon that intensified in March and April. This shows how Lukashenko and its administration can artificially create a shortage of goods that were previously in a huge number,” writes Politico.
Context
In May, Belarusian “Mirror” It wrote about the deficit of potatoes in Belarus in recent months. According to the media, Lukashenko Recognized This problem suggested that the Belarusians “get out of another month”, plant potatoes and “sell it at a good price”.
Lukashenko also called the population Plant more potatoessince the frosts uncharacteristic for May did their dirty business: in the main market of Belarus-in the Russian Federation-a lot of potatoes froze, so “there is an opportunity to earn some kind of penny.”
On May 27, the illegitimate president of Russia Vladimir Putin, after a meeting with representatives of agribusiness, announced a lack of potatoes in the Russian Federation and offered to buy it from Belarus, but Lukashenko informed him that he also had no potato.
