The Ministry of Industry and Trade plans to develop a model of introduction of ration stamps. Russian society is concerned about the initiative, as people believe that ration stamps are a sign of deficit. Officials are trying to assure the population that many countries are using a system of ration stamps; in the U.S. it serves 40 million people. Any person who has an annual income less than $27 thousand can use a special banking card to buy some products that are not imported in certain shops. Every month, money is paid into the card, and the cardholder can spend it on supporting domestic producers.
It is not clear how the system will be implemented in Russia, where not everybody knows what a banking card is. Irina Gekht, the Deputy Head of the Federation Council Committee on Agrarian and Food Policy and Environmental Management, says that the measure is necessary: “Consumption is decreasing. The number of poor is growing. Moreover, the composition of the food basket is changing. In other words, meat and milk are dropping out, and groats and carbohydrates are being added, which makes it unbalanced, especially for children. And so it is understandable why it worries legislators and regional authorities.”
The senator thinks that the proposal on domestic food aid, which would be some kind of market stimulant and regulator of inflation, could solve the problem. “The Ministry of Industry and Trade promises us such a draft law, on the introduction of ration stamps in the country to help poor and needy people. It will concern mainly perishable products and will allow, on the one hand, to ensure the demand for local producers, and on the other hand, to ensure quality of food for those groups of the population that are currently not in a position to secure it on their own.”
Irina Gekht thinks that in discussions of the introduction of these stamps, experts should take into account the specificity of regions, and allow them to develop the establishment of methods of calculation and delivery of these products.
In the first reading, MPs have adopted a bill which introduces a number of restrictions on trade networks. It works in receiving bonuses and in accelerated calculation with producers for the various categories of products. “The Ministry of Economic Development criticized this bill, believing that it violates market regulations and that there must be some other methods in this regard. But my colleagues and I believe that it's the right bill, which would immediately discipline network companies,” the senator says.
