The article highlights the significant surge in food prices at record highs, as reported by the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Markets, with data showing a sharp increase in the wholesale prices of essential food items such as oil, rice, sugar, cheese, minced meat, and pork to the highest levels in the past five years. This trend is observed across a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and even specific items like cucumbers, cabbage, and oranges, which have seen the most dramatic price hikes. The rise in prices is primarily due to increased transportation and delivery costs, amidst lower demand brought about by the pandemic. Vladimir Ivanov from the State Commission attributes the price increase to both the pandemic's effect on demand and small variations in industrial costs.