Russia has started buying butter from several countries after a 17-year record price hike.

Rosselkhoznadzor reported that: ◾️ by March 21, Argentina had supplied 2,000 tons of butter, 5.6 times the figure for the same period in 2024 (371 tons); ◾️ Uruguay also nearly doubled its supplies with 1 thousand tons since the beginning of the year, up from 525 tons a year earlier; ◾️ Iran supplied 2 thousand tons of oil so far. There were no imports from this country in 2024.

The growth in imports happened due to the biggest price crisis in the butter market for 17 years. In September 2024, its cost increased by 5.07%, and in October - by a record 6.58%.

The main reasons for the crisis were the rise in the price of imported fats, difficulties with foreign equipment maintenance, raw material shortage, lack of personnel, and the Russian Central Bank's key rate increase.