In recent months, the price of locally grown tomatoes in Kaliningrad has become a topic of concern among regional authorities. On July 1, Artem Ivanov, the region’s Minister of Agriculture, met with local producers and suppliers to address the reasons behind the rising prices of essential goods, including tomatoes. “Our task now is to understand the causes of price increases for socially significant products, analyze the situation, and outline actions to contain them,” emphasized Ivanov.
During a visit to the greenhouse farm “Orbita-Agro” at the end of June, Acting Governor Alexey Besprozvannykh instructed the formation of a working group to control prices of staple foods. Shaiga Mamedov, the head of “Orbita-Agro,” highlighted that the cost of resources significantly affects the price of greenhouse vegetables. According to Mamedov, electricity and gas costs are the most significant expenses. For example, the production cost of one kilogram of tomatoes includes 35.8 rubles for electricity, 20 rubles for gas, and 25 rubles for depreciation, among other costs.
At “Orbita-Agro’s” branded store in the village of Zvenyevo, popular tomato varieties are priced at over 200 rubles per kilogram. Pink, black, and yellow tomatoes are sold for 240 rubles, while the “Bull’s Heart” variety costs 300 rubles. In supermarkets, tomatoes from “Gvardeysk Greenhouses” are 20-30% more expensive, with pink, black, or yellow tomatoes priced between 290 and 310 rubles per kilogram, and the “Bull’s Heart” variety costing around 400 rubles.
At the Central Market, most tomatoes are imported, but those from “Gvardeysk Greenhouses” are available at several points. However, the markup on these products is significantly higher, with pink tomatoes priced between 320 and 400 rubles per kilogram.
“Orbita-Agro” suggests that reducing the price of greenhouse vegetables is possible only through expanding production. The enterprise is currently constructing a new gas boiler, which will increase production capacity by nearly double, covering an additional 5.5 hectares.
According to the Central Bank, vegetable prices in the Kaliningrad region have risen more than other categories of goods, with the cost of fruits and vegetables increasing by 18% over the past year. Significant price reductions for cucumbers and tomatoes are expected by the end of July as production scales up and market supply increases.
The escalating prices of tomatoes in the Kaliningrad region are a result of high resource costs and market dynamics. Efforts by local authorities and producers, such as expanding production capabilities and creating price control groups, aim to stabilize these prices. As new infrastructure comes online and production increases, consumers can anticipate more affordable prices in the near future.
