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No jumps in food prices expected in Russia – first deputy prime minister

He said his optimism was based on the good harvest of potatoes, soy, sunflowers, sugar beet, and maize

MOSCOW, September 30 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov voiced optimism that food prices in the country will not go up.

“I do not think we will see jumps in food prices,” he said on Thursday in an interview with electronic version of the Izvestiya newspaper. In his words, this year’s rich harvest and an overall agricultural sector growth will help keep the food prices “on a short leash.”

He said his optimism was based on the good harvest of potatoes, soy, sunflowers, sugar beet, and maize. Apart from that, the agricultural sector in 2011 showed a growth of 12 percent, and even more than 12 percent in the poultry sector.

“We shall keep augmenting agricultural output,” he said and stressed that it is a guarantee of the stability of food prices.