Belarus freezes prices for socially significant goods

The government of Belarus has decided to actually freeze the prices of food, goods and essential medicines.

Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 100 was adopted to stabilize the price situation for socially significant essential goods and saturate the consumer market with them. The document was published on the national legal Internet portal, there are 62 positions in the list of socially significant goods. In particular, the list includes rice, FLOUR, semolina, buckwheat, oatmeal, pearl barley, bread, beef, pork, chickens, some sausages, fish, MILK , kefir, sour cream, cottage cheese , some fruits and vegetables, SUGAR, soap, toilet paper , diapers, matches. The list of medicines includes 50 items.

The document provides that legal entities and individual entrepreneurs who produce, import, and sell socially significant essential goods on the domestic market must fix prices for these goods from February 24 to February 28. From March 1, 2021, the change in prices for socially significant essential goods cannot exceed 0.2% per month to the price for these goods that prevailed on the last day of the previous month.

The government decided that the price of socially important goods could rise above the established limit only after agreement with the special commission on state regulation of pricing under the Council of Ministers.

The relevant state bodies and local authorities have been instructed to prevent a shortage of socially significant goods, the prices of which are strictly regulated by the state.

As reported, consumer prices continue to rise in Belarus. In January, inflation remained at a high level and amounted to 1.1% against 1.2% in December of the previous year. Annual inflation in January (against January 2020) continued to grow and reached 7.7% against 7.4% in December and 6.6% in November.

Prices for food products over the past month increased by 1.5% (in annual terms by 6.6%), for non-food products - by 1.3% (by 8.3%).

According to the results of last year, the highest inflation rate over the past four years was formed in Belarus - 7.4%. In 2019, inflation in the republic amounted to 4.7% with a target level of no more than 5%. In 2018, consumer prices in Belarus increased by 5.6%, in 2017 - by 4.6%, in 2016 - by 11.8%.

In 2021, the government and the NATIONAL BANK intend to reduce inflation to 5%.

kurs.com.ua