Manufacturers have warned of a possible shortage of refrigerators and air conditioners

In Russia, there may be a shortage of refrigerators, air conditioners and other equipment that uses refrigerants. This is due to the fact that Russia has joined the campaign against substances that deplete the ozone layer. But, according to market participants, the government has not approved the mechanism for allocating quotas for refrigerants. As a result, those who ordered first could buy them. The rest were left without the substances needed for production and suffer losses. According to experts, the problem may affect up to half of the market for large household appliances.

What's happened?

about problems with the import of refrigerants to Russia RBC learned from a letter from the Association of Trading Companies and Commodity Producers of Electrical Household and Computer Equipment (RATEK; members include Electrolux, DeLonghi, Miele, Gorenje, Ariston) to the Ministry of Economic Development. The authors of the letter point out that since July, it has become impossible for some importers to import refrigerants and equipment that contains them: in fact, a quota has been set for imports, although this is not fixed in any way by law.

The Ministry of Economic Development informed journalists that the letter had been redirected to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The Ministry of Industry and Trade assured that “at the moment there are no risks for industries using refrigerants,” and referred to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Rosprirodnadzor controlled by it. The Ministry of Natural Resources said that the issue is being worked out.

What is the reason?

The problem with the import of refrigerants arose due to the fact that Russia last year ratified an amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. This amendment provides for a restriction on hydrofluorocarbons - refrigerants that are used in the manufacture of air conditioners, refrigeration and freezing equipment, inhalers. Russia has pledged to reduce the consumption of hydrofluorocarbons by 5% from 2020, by 35% from 2025, and by 85% from 2036.

For this, control was introduced over the import of refrigerants and products using them. Now, for their purchase, it is necessary to obtain a special license from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which the department issues on the basis of the conclusion of Rosprirodnadzor.

According to RATEK, since July, importers of hydrofluorocarbons began to receive refusals from Rosprirodnadzor in issuing permits. The department explained this refusal by “the exhaustion of the allowable volume of consumption of hydrofluorocarbons in 2021.” For producers, this came as a surprise, because, according to RATEK, the government did not legislate these restrictions and did not establish a mechanism for distributing benefits for hydrofluorocarbons. As a result, it turned out that importers who managed to obtain a permit before July 2021 received a quota, and the rest will not be able to import their products until early 2022.

What does it threaten?

Producers fear significant losses as deliveries are already scheduled, products have been purchased and many goods are already on the way. Without permits, importers will be forced to return products to suppliers, paying for transportation and penalties. In addition, each license costs 160 thousand rubles, and if the department refuses, this money is not returned.

RATEK predicts that the problem may affect up to half of the market for large household appliances, including refrigerators, and many manufacturers risk being without the necessary substances. Due to the shortage of hydrofluorocarbons, prices for refrigerants have already increased by 3-4 times since the beginning of the year, which, naturally, will affect the cost of equipment in which they are used in the future.