CAVIAR VENDING MACHINES APPEAR IN MOSCOW

RUSSIA'S FAMOUSLY FEATHER-BEDDED CIVIL SERVANTS RECEIVED A UNUSUAL AND UNIQUE NEW PERK: A CAVIAR VENDING MACHINE. A SHINY RED DISPENSER THAT LOOKS LIKE A SOFT DRINKS MACHINE HAS BEEN INSTALLED IN THE MOSCOW MAYOR'S OFFICE WITH MORE TO FOLLOW IN THE COUNTRY'S PARLIAMENT. THE FIRM BEHIND THE LUXURY DISPENSER SAYS 33 SUCH MACHINES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ACROSS THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL IN GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES AND UPSCALE OFFICE BLOCKS. THE MACHINE DISPENSES TINS AND GLASS JARS FULL OF RED SALMON CAVIAR, IN VARYING PORTION SIZES, COSTING FROM THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT £3.50 UP TO £15. THE MORE SOUGHT AFTER STURGEON CAVIAR, VARIETIES OF WHICH HAVE BEEN HUNTED TO THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION AND COMMAND A MUCH HIGHER PRICE TAG, IS NOT FOR SALE IN THE MACHINES. BUT AT A TIME WHEN RUSSIA IS STILL EMERGING FROM A DEEP ECONOMIC CRISIS, PUBLICITY ABOUT THE DISPENSERS IS LIKELY TO ANGER MANY. RUSSIANS TRADITIONALLY LOVE CAVIAR, SIEVED AND SLIGHTLY SALTED FISH EGGS, AND SPREAD THE CHEAPER RED VARIETY ON BUTTERED BREAD, WASHING IT DOWN WITH SPARKLING SOVIET 'CHAMPAGNE' ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS. BUT THE MOST EXPENSIVE BLACK VARIETY IS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR MOST RUSSIANS AND ANNUAL SALES OF WILD BLACK CAVIAR ARE LIMITED TO ABOUT NINE TONS EACH YEAR. THE MOSCOW MAYORALTY'S CAVIAR DISPENSER APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN AN EARLY VICTIM OF ITS OWN POPULARITY, IT WAS REPORTED BROKEN DOWN RECENTLY AND WAS IN 'URGENT NEED OF REPAIR'.