Cost of Monthly Food Basket Rises almost 10% in Moscow

The cost of a minimal monthly food basket reached about 1.091 rubles (about $35.07) in Russia on average by the end of April 2003, the Russian State Statistics Committee reported. This was 1.6 percent higher compared to the end of March and 8.6 percent higher against the beginning of this year. According to information from the State Statistics Committee, the highest cost of the minimal food basket was registered in the Chukot region, increasing 6.6 percent over a month and reaching almost 3,063 rubles (about $98.46). The corresponding figures for Moscow and St. Petersburg were about 1,400 rubles ($45) and 1,205 rubles ($39) by the end of April. This was respectively 2.4 percent and 2.2 percent higher compared to the end of March and 9.9 percent higher, both for Moscow and St. Petersburg, compared to the beginning of 2003.