Comparing last month's prices with February 2024 prices, the biggest price hike among dairy products was recorded for 20 percent fat sour cream — which rose more than 18 percent from €3.25 to €3.84 per kilogram, according to figures released by the Estonian Institute of Economic Research (EKI).

The price per kilo of butter also went up 12 percent rising from €12.87 last February to €14.40 last month.

Coffee cream prices, meanwhile, went up 10 percent, while cheese prices rose by 8 percent.

The only dairy products whose prices went down in February were bagged milk and kefir — but each only fell by 1 cent.

In terms of average prices, however, which reflect both bagged and carton products, both milk and kefir prices actually rose by 2 percent.

No significant changes were recorded in dairy prices on month, however sour cream and cheese prices had increased 2 percent since January.

Domestic vs. import eggs

Last month saw a significant difference between domestic and import egg prices.

The price of a ten-count carton of medium domestic eggs had dropped by an average of 9 percent, falling from €2.78 last February to €2.53 last month. Comparing medium and large eggs, the price of medium eggs fell by nearly 12 percent on year, while large eggs were just 6 percent cheaper.

Import eggs, meanwhile, have gone up 11-13 percent in price, with the average price per carton now up to €2.66.

On month, import egg prices remained largely unchanged, however the price of domestic eggs fell by 10 percent.

According to EKI's figures for February, meat product prices followed a similar trend, with limited price drops largely in the range of just a few percent on year.

Both pork chops and boneless pork were 1 percent cheaper last month than in February last year, with the price per kilogram of pork chops down from €8.92 to €8.80.

Boneless beef fell by nearly 3 percent per kilo, from €18.01 last February to €17.53 last month, while smoked pork chops prices were likewise down 2 percent.

The biggest price drop among meat products recorded this February was for cooked sausage, which fell nearly 5 percent on year to €6.43 per kilo.

The price of pork ribs, meanwhile, went up 3 percent on year, rising from €8.60 to €8.89 per kilogram.

While domestic broiler meat fell by 1 percent, or 4 cents per kilo, mport broiler meat went up 4 percent to reach €4.05 per kilo last month.

The price per kilo of ground meat – specifically 50/50 ground beef and pork – and franks likewise went up, by 1 and 2 percent on year, respectively.

Compared with January, meat prices remained largely unchanged, with price fluctuations largely staying within the 2 percent range. A few products did see price increases, however, with pork ribs and smoked pork chops up 3 percent and cooked sausage prices likewise up nearly 3 percent on month.

Fish prices at stores, markets still differ

Fish prices fluctuate more than those of other food prices, and are thus tracked both at markets and in supermarkets, between which shoppers can encounter major price differences.

In stores, fish prices in general were up last month. For example, the price per kilogram of chilled trout rose from €9.85 last February to €11.79 last month, while trout fillets rose 5 percent to reach €17.13 per kilo.

The price of chilled whole Baltic herring, meanwhile, increased by more than 9 percent on year.

Salmon prices in stores were down 10 percent, however, falling from €13.16 to €11.82 on year.

At markets, fish prices are much more volatile, which was also reflected in February's numbers. Trout, which had gone up 20 percent in price in stores, fell by 21 percent at markets, dropping from €16.57 per kilo last February to just €13.08 per kilo last month.

Chilled trout fillets fell 11 percent in price at markets, dropping on year from €29.23 to €26.07 per kilo. Salmon fillet and perch prices likewise fell by 11 and 12 percent, respectively.

The price of chilled herring, meanwhile, rose 20 percent on year, and chilled pike-perch likewise went up 10 percent.

Tomato prices up more than 50 percent

Vegetables have seen significant fluctuations in price recently as well.

Domestic cucumbers saw a price drop last month, falling 30 percent on year from €6.78 to €4.77 per kilogram, while the price per kilogram of onions fell by 28 percent, from €1.09 to €0.79.

Domestic apple prices were also down nearly 20 percent, while carrot prices dropped by nearly a quarter, from €0.59 to €0.45 per kilo.

Many other vegetables have gone up in price, however. Last month, cabbage prices increased 28 percent and imported cucumbers 18 percent on year. Import tomato prices, meanwhile, soared 52 percent on year, jumping from €2.91 to €4.41 per kilo.

Vegetable prices remain among the most volatile in the short term as well. Compared with January, for example, domestic cucumber prices had gone up 10 percent last month, while imported cucumber prices were up by 20 percent.

The price of domestic apples likewise rose 15 percent between January and February.

Among grains and bakery goods, meanwhile, prices haven't changed much.

The price of rye bread last month was down 3 percent on year, falling from €2.97 to €2.88 per kilogram. White bread prices, on the other hand, were up 4 percent.

The price of a kilo of wheat flour fell by less than 1 percent in February, costing just 1 cent less than last year at €1.19, while the price of oatmeal remained unchanged altogether at €2.25 per kilo.

The only significant change recorded last month was in the price of sugar, which dropped 22 percent on year — from €1.35 to €1.05 per kilogram.

On month, the biggest change among grains was in the price of white bread, which went up 6 percent between January and February.

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