MOSCOW: Belarus has levied price restrictions on socially important goods and some medicines from Wednesday, the government said in a decree, as authorities grapple with accelerating inflation.

The decree, published on the government's legal portal, fixed a ban until March 1 on rises in the price of 62 products, such as bread, pork and beef, as well as 50 medicines.

From March 1, price rises for such products are limited to 0.2% each month, it added.

In January, inflation quickened to 7.7% in annual terms.

The authorities have said they expect year-end inflation not to exceed a central bank target of 5%.

Similar curbs were introduced last year to hold down prices during the COVID-19 pandemic but were soon lifted.