Food cards may be introduced in Russia due to the pandemic
The number of recipients of "Federal budget credit obligations" that can be used to buy products is proposed to include those who lost their jobs or income due to restrictions imposed during the coronavirus pandemic.
"This measure will not only support citizens whose income for reasons beyond their control has become insufficient to meet the urgent needs of themselves and their dependent children, but will also increase the effective demand for the products of Russian enterprises, which will help preserve jobs and business stability of sellers and suppliers of such products", RBC cites the message.
The initiative is explained by the importance of maintaining "access to socially important food and other essential goods for the population in extreme conditions of protection from the coronavirus pandemic". The letter was signed by Sergey Yushin, head of the National Meat Association, Yuri Katsnelson, President of the Russian Guild of bakers and confectioners, Artem Belov, General Director of the National Union of milk producers, and Sergey Belyakov, Chairman of the Presidium of the Association of retail companies.
The Ministry of industry and trade developed a strategy for food aid in the autumn of 2015. It involves accrual citizens in need with "cash equivalents" (points or bonuses) to special cards for the purchase of Russian — made products - vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy products, poultry, fish, as well as seeds and seedlings.
In February 2016, the Ministry of industry and trade developed a plan to launch a targeted food aid program, according to which in 2017 it is expected to allocate about 140 billion rubles for the program (subsidies — 127.3 billion rubles, the rest — support costs), in 2018 — 214.2 billion rubles (219 billion rubles of subsidies). In October 2017, the representative of the Ministry of Finance, Svetlana Gashkina, said that funds for the implementation of the idea are not provided in the draft budget for 2018-2020.
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