European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 25, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Assignment inside Moscow these women behind the counter spun around in unison when the earners  crash course in capitalism Vacily Volochenko stood in the bitter cold outside the Entrance to Moscow s Central Market balancing a fat Chicken in one hand. He did no to need to say one word. The message was Clear. He wanted to sell the Fryer. Also obvious people wanted to buy it but not for 250 rubles $3.50. Quot its not too expensive a argued Volochenko who lives on the outskirts of Moscow. Quot it costs a lot to raise a  Volochenko and other russians gather daily at the Central Market near Kvetnoy Boulevard to sell their own meat and produce. While these free Enterprise neophytes offer variety and Quality unavailable in state run stores they also charge higher prices. Volochenko defended himself with a math lesson. Quot one kilogram of Grain costs six rubles. A Chicken eats 400 Grams a Day. It takes 100 Days to raise a  by his calculations the feed Bill would come to 240 rubles. He would be making Only 10 rubles profit. That s Chicken feed in Russia where inflation has gutted the National currency. Only a few years ago. A single Ruble could be purchased Tor $1.60 today it takes 70 rubles to buy $1. Pigeons Glide through the spacious Buck building that serves As a meat Market. Sparrows Peck the Concrete floor then flutter away. Russians wearing bloodstained aprons stand proudly behind cuts at Tresh lean meat a Cleaver stands erect this porker s head was on the sales rack for250 rubles about $3.50 at prevailing rates. In the Center of a Well worn Butcher Block. Foreigners Are the Best customers said merchant Belova Alexandra who lives about 120 Kilometres from Moscow. With her income she provides for herself her invalid husband and four children yet she sympathizes each time she hears a fellow russian complain of High prices Quot sausage costs 100 rubles per kilogram and we eat this in one meat a she said. Quot it s becoming worse every Day. Business is Quot so so Quot for Ilyaev and Svetlana Igor a Rural couple who raise animals for Slaughter Quot our meat is fresh Quot joked Svetlana Igor. Quot yesterday it was still  Igor said russians Economy will improve Only Quot if we All work  Quot they the government talk too much and they do not do anything real Quot said Igor who believes that privatization of property is the key to Reform. Quot we spend too much time and Effort renaming old things and at the same time we done to have anything to  Tamara Linova was Happy. Shed sold four chickens and the Day was still Young. She said Chicken is cheap compared to beef or pork. Still she said she gets Many complaints and admitted that pensioners who receive a monthly income of about 450 rubles could not afford the meat. Vadim Khachaturyan is a fruit and vegetable Vendor in a building opposite the meat Market. He gets his produce through shipments from Azerbaijan Georgia and Armenia. Apples tomatoes cucumbers and oranges sell for 100 rubles about $1.50 per kilogram. Quot business is not very Good Quot he said. Quot a s expensive to get things  he said it used to Cost 10 rubles to ship 25 kilograms. Now transportation costs 200 rubles for the same amount. Quot it will be worse Quot he predicted Quot if i Don t sell apples for 100 rubles i will not buy meat for 100 rubles. The government does not want to improve  speaking of a solution Khachaturyan uttered Quot it does not depend on one Man. It s society Quot Varlly Volochenko stands in freezing temperatures trying to sell his Homegrown Fryer for 250 rubles. Page 6 the stars and stripes wednesday March 25, 1992 ?