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Cost of Russia’s minimum food basket goes up 13 percent

The cost is calculated on the basis of the basket necessary for a person of active working age

MOSCOW, July 4 (Itar-Tass) — The average cost of the minimum food basket in Russia had increased to 2,969.8 roubles (USD 1 = RUB 33.16) per month by the end of June 2013, the Russian State Statistics Service said in its regular report released on Thursday, July 4.

This indicator increased by 3.2 percent in June 2013 and by 13.6 percent since the beginning of the year.

The cost of the food basket in Moscow increased by 2.7 percent in June and went up by 16.6 percent in the first half of the year, reaching 3,601.4 roubles per month, the reported said.

In addition, the cost of the minimum food basket in St. Petersburg grew by 3.1 percent in June, increased by 9.9 percent in January-June 2013 and was estimated at 3,243.9 roubles as of July 1.

According to the State Statistics Service, Russia’s consumer inflation rate amounted to 0.4 percent in June, and 3.5 percent in the first six months of the year. In 2012, the indicators totalled 0.9 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively.

The cost of the minimum food basket is calculated on the basis of the basket necessary for a person of active working age. It reflects the interregional differentiation of consumer prices and cannot be considered a part of the minimum subsistence level which is established by each Russian region separately. In contrast to the minimum subsistence level, the average cost of the minimum food basket is calculated on the basis of combined consumption figures.

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