OREANDA-NEWS  Red caviar in Russia has already started to become cheaper since mid-November, and after the New Year, with a decrease in demand, it will drop in price by another 10%, chairman of the Fish Union Alexander Panin told reporters.

"Talking with market participants, we understand that there is a lot of caviar in the market, demand is "hooked" at such a high price, there is more than enough caviar, that is, there will be no shortage, caviar will remain for the post-New Year period, and it will live until Maslenitsa. Yes, I am among those experts who say that after the New Year I expect a rebound even lower... I would definitely bet 10 percent that the caviar will win back."

He recalled that last year more than 25 thousand tons of caviar were produced in Russia, which allowed a record increase in its exports to 9 thousand tons, while 16 thousand tons of caviar remained on the domestic market, and, according to Panin, "we do not eat so much, even at a great price," however the price was still high - 6-8 thousand rubles per kilogram.

"This year it even reached 13 (thousand rubles - ed.), and the people got excited. The increase to last year is an easy story: inflation, the key rate, all the same things have not gone away, but the most important thing is three times less production, this is the first, the second - in my opinion, traders and manufacturers have done a great job this year, in the sense that they just hyped up, warmed up the market... In August, the story began that Putin was bad, there would be no caviar, this excitement began," Panin explained.

"Demand creates supply, and as a result, it (the price - ed.) was overheated by mid-November, and the rollback has already begun... In our largest specialized caviar "grid", prices already range from 9,5 thousand to 11,5 thousand, depending on the type... there is no price of 13 thousand for sure anymore," he added.

In addition, the head of the Fish Union noted that now, during the active season of caviar sales, salted caviar is sold, and after the New Year - salty-frozen, whose taste characteristics are slightly lower, as well as its price. "Plus a decrease in "suction", as market participants say, there is no "thrust", which means that the price needs to be reduced, the thrust will decrease as we move away from the New Year holidays... the price will decrease," he concluded.