Sanctions brought on by Putin’s war in Ukraine are taking a bite out of Russia’s New Year's salad
Sanctions introduced after Vladimir Putin launched his war in Ukraine are affecting the price of Russia's traditional new year dish, the Olivier Salad.
MOSCOW — It’s akin to Turkey at Thanksgiving: On New Year’s in Russia, revelers traditionally consume lashings of Olivier salad.
It was introduced to the then-Russian Empire in 1860 by French chef Lucien Olivier, but these days everyone has a slightly different recipe. It’s so popular that the cost of its staple ingredients — which usually include sausage, potatoes and dollops of mayonnaise — have their own price index that’s tracked by the media.
With soaring inflation and the ruble dropping to one of its lowest levels against the dollar since President Vladimir Putin launched his war in Ukraine, this year Russians will have to pay more for the dish, which is traditionally served alongside caviar and tangerines, before the New Year is toasted in.
Along with rising food prices, a weaker ruble following the latest round of American sanctions in November has fueled inflation and driven up the cost of imports into Russia. A huge increase in military spending has also led to labor, supply and production shortages. And while workers from every industry have volunteered or been called up to serve in Ukraine, farming has been among the worst affected.
The so-called Olivier Index, which monitors how much it costs to make one of the salads for four people, is up 16% year over year, to 414 rubles from 348, according to Rosstat, Russia’s federal statistics agency. (That’s equivalent to a jump to $3.94 from $3.31.)
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