Very advanced fines
The Belarusian authorities introduce strict regulations on this year's potato deficit. Shops that do not guarantee the availability of potatoes from the state reserves can be fined between 5 and 200 alleged base amounts – which presently means 210 to 8.4 1000 Belarusian rubles (or approx. 235 to 9.4 1000 zł).
According to Belsat, experts point out that the main reason for the crisis is the artificially fixed price limits imposed by the Lukashenko regime. Many Belarusian farmers decided to sale their crops to Russia due to the fact that they could number on better rates.
No potatoes as a conspiracy
Alaksandr Lukashenka suggested that the deficiency of potatoes in the stores was due to the deliberate action of traders who allegedly hid the goods to undermine the effectiveness of his rule. A period earlier, he signed the alleged "deficit decree", allowing shops to borrow low-interest loans (3%) for the acquisition of vegetables specified as potatoes, cabbage, carrots, beets or onions – even before their harvest.
The entrepreneur Alaksandr Knynowicz, who led the programme in Belsat, assessed these activities as pointless economic, viewing them simply as further financial support for the agricultural sector, which had already absorbed billions of dollars.
Other experts comment on the decisions of the authorities with disbelief and find them hard to treat seriously.
Advice to eat less
At the end of June We informed in Angola about thisthat the Belarusian potato problem is getting stronger. In addition, there was another problem – an epidemic that attacked livestock. Alaksandr Lukashenka then called on citizens to simply "eat less".
It is not a secret that in Belarusian stores presently dominate potatoes of mediocre quality and sometimes even rotten. Clients on the net do not hide frustration, claiming that even pigs are not given specified food. The situation is peculiarly emotional due to the fact that potato is almost a national symbol of Belarus.
How serious the situation is, let the fact that Belarus abolished the embargo on imports of selected food products from alleged hostile countries, including potatoes, onions and cabbages from Europe. Although this was officially explained by openness, independent sources point to a hard situation in the food market. Belarus has already sold surpluses to Russia, which demands further deliveries, while Belarus itself is struggling with shortages and rising prices of these vegetables.
Potato prices are besides rising in Russia – last year they rose by 92%, and in 2025 by 166.5%, making them the fastest costly product. The origin is simply a low harvest due to hard weather conditions, which led to stock exhaustion. Russia presently complements the shortages of imports from Egypt, Pakistan and China, and president Putin confirmed that the country is facing a serious potato deficiency.
