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ACTION EUR-12
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 AGR-05 EB-07 COME-00 OMB-01 TRSE-00
CIAE-00 INR-07 NSAE-00 PA-01 PRS-01 USIA-06 /041 W
--------------------- 038845
R 191622Z FEB 76
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 172
INFO AMCONSUL LENINGRAD
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE MOSCOW 2561
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: PINT, UR
SUBJECT: FOOD SUPPLIES: RIGA UPDATE
REFS: (A) MOSCOW 1717; (B) MOSCOW 250
SUMMARY. EMBOFFS VISITED RIGA FEBRARY 18 AND MADE DETAILED
SURVEY OF LARGE CENTRAL MARKET NEAR RAILROAD STATION. SEVERAL
ASPECTS OF FOOD SITUATION HAD CHANGED SINCE MOST RECENT REPORT
(REF A). BEEF WAS AVAILABLE IN FAIRLY GOOD QUANTITIES, MUTTON
AND PORK PRODUCTS' PRICES WERE SHARPLY UP, AND LOTS OF "IMPORTED"
FLOWERS AND NORTH AFRICAN ORANGES WERE FOR SALE. END SUMMARY.
1. DURING LONG MID MORNING VISIT TO CENTRAL MARKET, WE FOUND
BEEF ON SALE AT MAY STALLS, PRICED AT R 3.50 PER KILOGRAM.
THE BEEF APPEARED TO BE OF GOOD QUALITY, AND THERE WERE NO
UNUSUALLY LONG LINES OF PEOPLE WAITING TO BUY IT. THE MARKET HAD
AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF CHICKENS, WITH LOCAL RIGA BIRDS PRICED AT
R 2.80 AND REPORTEDLY BETTER ONES FROM THE EASTERN LATVIAN CITY
OF DAUGAVPILS SELLING FOR R 3.20. KOLBASA COST 1.90
2. PORK SOLD FOR R 3.50 AND, IN A LESSER GRADE, FOR R 2.80. PIGS'
HEADS, IN ABUNDANT SUPPLY, COST R 2.50, GOOD QUALITY PORK FAT AND
BACON BROUGHT A TOP PRICE OF R 3.00 BOTH SIGNIFICANTLY MORE
EXPENSIVE THAN IN EARLIER SURVEY -- BUT PORK CHOPS REMAINED AT
R 5.00 MUTTON NOW COST R. 3.20 PER KILO.
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3. TWO DIFFERENT GRADES OF MARGARINE WERE PRICED AT .43 AND .35.
PLAIN LOCAL CHEESE COST 1.20, WITH LATVIAN "CHEDDAR" CHEESE WITH
LABELS IN ENGLISH SELLING FOR 2.90. BUTTER STILL COST
3.50, AND FANCY PASTRIES RANGED IN PRICE FROM .18 TO .30. MANY
VENDORS HAD "IMPORTED" ARMENIAN CARNATIONS FOR SALE AT 1.50
APIECE. LIMITED SUPPLIES OF OTHER FRESH FLOWERS WERE AVAILABLE.
4. SOFT, OFTEN ROTTEN APPLES WERE SELLING IN ANOTHER PART OF THE
MARKET FOR 1.50-200. GOOD-LOOKING SQUASH COST 1.00. CABBAGE WAS
WIDELY OFFERRED FOR .80, RADISHES FOR 1.20, SMALL BUT
ACCEPTABLE POTATOES FOR. 30, CARROTS FOR 1.00 AND GREEN ONIONS
FOR 3.00. DECENT LOOKING LETTUCE SOLD FOR 8.00, GARLIC
FOR .30-.40 WALNUTS FOR 4.00, POOR QULAITY PEARS FOR 3.00-4.00
CRANBERRIES FOR 2.85, AND HONEY FOR 5.00.
5. THE ONLY PARTICULARLY LONG LINES IN THE ENTIRE MARKET
WERE OBSERVED AT STANDS SELLING MOROCCAN AND EGYPTIAN ORANGES. THEY
COST 1.40, AND NEARLY EVERYONE WE SAW LEAVING THE MARKET HAD
SOME OF THE ORANGES AMONG HIS PURCHASES.
STOESSEL
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