Food stamps for Russian poor

Russia could introduce vouchers for bread for low income citizens – in order to protect them from price increase.

Although the country’s staple food prices remain officially frozen until May 1, the cost of bread and other basic food items has still been rising.

In Russia’s Far Eastern region of Sakhalin the price of a loaf of white bread has risen by a third over the past year and has now reached almost $US 1.50.

The regional administration is considering the introduction of bread vouchers.

Earlier this year Russia’s agriculture minister Alexei Gordeyev said the country must give low income citizens an opportunity to buy staple products at prices controlled by the state.

He cited the example of the United States, where 20 million people get food stamps.