Indus ministry official: Vodka price rise to trigger surrogate use

MOSCOW, Aug 28 (PRIME) – An increase of the minimum vodka price will trigger growth of surrogate consumption, an official of the Industry and Trade Ministry told PRIME on Monday.

Earlier on Monday, news daily Izvestiya said that the Healthcare Ministry had sent a proposal to the Finance Ministry to raise excises for all spirits containing over 9% of pure alcohol. The ministry thinks that vodka must cost at least 300 rubles per 0.5 liter bottle.

The official at the Industry and Trade Ministry said that no such proposals have arrived to the ministry but their fulfillment would cause negative consequences. “The position of the authority is as follows -- an increase of the minimum vodka price to 300 rubles per 0.5 liters will have only two outcomes: a shrinkage of the legal market and a serious increase of consumption of surrogates like hawthorn infusion.”

(59.1476 rubles – U.S. $1)

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