Nalchik residents question the connection between rising prices and Ramadan.

Residents of Nalchik surveyed by the "Caucasian Knot" noticed a rise in prices for some food products last year. They do not associate the price hike with the Muslim fast of Ramadan and the upcoming holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, this year in Chechnya, as well as Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, and Karachay-Cherkessia, the first day of Ramadan and fasting was declared February 18. The Muftiate of Dagestan declared February 19 as the first day of Ramadan. Due to the end of Ramadan, March 19, 20, and 21 have been declared non-working days in Chechnya. In Dagestan, March 19th and 20th will be holidays, while in Kabardino-Balkaria, March 20th has been declared a holiday.

Grocery prices at the market and in chain stores in Nalchik are comparable, and only a few products have shown a significant increase in price, according to Nalchik residents interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot." The survey is not representative and reflects only the personal opinions of city residents. Nalchanka resident Tamara Khakulova most often buys groceries at Magnit chain stores. She has observed that butter has become noticeably more expensive recently: a 350-gram pack of Vkusnoteevo butter with 82.5% fat content costs up to 400 rubles.

“I consider this butter to be the highest quality and prefer to buy it, which is why I noticed its price increase. But compared to the price of butter at the market, where 1 kg can cost up to 1,600 rubles, this price is still reasonable. Eggs are also cheaper in supermarkets. At Magnit, for example, a dozen grade-one eggs can be purchased for 65 rubles. The same eggs, but without grade indication, cost 150 rubles per dozen at the market and in private stores. Some people think that the eggs in supermarkets are industrial and the ones at the market are organic, but I don’t notice any difference in taste between them,” she said.

Khakulova noted the rise in bread prices: in her opinion, this is especially hard on the pocket, as bread is a basic commodity that people buy every day. The average price of a loaf of bread is 50 rubles. The woman noted that she didn't shop for groceries in advance for the Eid al-Fitr celebration on March 20th – she only bought some candy to give to neighbors at the end of Eid al-Fitr in memory of deceased relatives. She never buys groceries in other regions: according to her, prices are roughly the same everywhere, but you also have to factor in travel costs.

Amina Tkhakahova buys groceries either at the market or at the Deya supermarket. "The prices are the same everywhere, there's not much difference. I've noticed an increase in the price of eggs since last year: they were 80 rubles for a dozen, now they're 135 rubles, sometimes 150 rubles. Butter has gone up, and boneless beef sometimes reaches 900 rubles per kilogram," she told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. She also noted a slight drop in poultry prices. She found it difficult to say why.

Lyudmila Eltukhova noted that candy prices have risen during Ramadan. "It's probably because people commemorate their dead, bake lacumas every Thursday, and distribute them to neighbors along with the candy. I can't say exactly how much they've gone up in price, but if last year I spent two thousand rubles on a kilogram of chocolates, this year I had to pay over two and a half thousand rubles for the same amount," she said.

Prices are rising due to rising production costs, as well as advertising, logistics, and management components, explained Marina Kozhakova, manager of the Pyaterochka chain store. "We would be happy not to raise prices, but you must admit, no one wants to work at a loss," she said.

According to Kozhakova, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) is closely monitoring price increases. Fines are imposed on both the producer and the retailer for unjustified price increases.

According to the Kabardino-Balkarian Statistics Department, in January 2026, beef prices increased by 1.8%, poultry by 1.34%, butter by 0.5%, and dairy by 5.79%. At the same time, eggs, fruits, and vegetables became cheaper.