Food Prices in the Soviet Union, 1936-50

Abstract

J OOD prices in Moscow state stores in 1, 1larch I950 were approximately 2.25 to 2.5 times higher than those prevailing in January I936, according to various price indices coimputed below. These indices indicate that the March I950 food prices were, however, about 30 per cent lower than those established in connection with the currency reform and the abolition of rationing in December I947. The construction of consumers' price indices for the Sovi.et Union is subject to a large margin of error because of (i) the paucity of price and consumers' expenditure data and (2) the country's multiple price system. Each of these complications is discussed briefly. The available price data are then tabulated, and, finally, the methods and results of the index number computations are presented.