POTATO PRICE GROWTH IN ARMENIA CONTINUES

YEREVAN, MAY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. A 0.1% price fall was registered in the
Armenian food commodity market in April on March 2007, which was mainly
due to 0.2-2.2% fall in prices of vegetables, granulated sugar, bread
products, coffee, tea and cocoa.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, 26% rise in prices of
potato and vegetales was registered in Armenia in April 2007 on April
2006. In the indicated period there was a growth in prices of carrot
(3.1%), cucumber (3.9%), tomato (4.9%), onion (6.6%), garlic (12.8%),
cabbage (28.3%), chive (42.4%) and potato (61.1%).

2.2% price fall was registered in the commodity group of vegetables and
potato in April on March 2007. Prices of cucumber, tomato, chive,
onion, mangel and garlic fell by 0.1-24.1% in the indicated period. A
growth in prices of carrot (1.9%), cabbage (3.5%) and potato (7.7%) was
registered in parallel with this. The price of granulated sugar
continued to have a downward tendency registered in the previous three
months and the general inflation for 4 months made 8.7%. 1.6% fall in
price of granulated sugar was registered in the country in April on
March.

0.1-0.4% price fall was registered in the commodity groups of bread
products, butter and vegetable oil, coffee, tea, cocoa, soft drinks in
April on March 2007.

37.5% price growth was registered in the commodity group of fish
products in April 2007 on December 2006, including 8.1% price growth in
April on March 2007, mainly due to 9.1% rise in the price of fresh
white fish. Prices of trout and smoked white fish increased by 5.6% and
5.1% respectively in the indicated period.

In the commodity group of fruit, 33.7% price growth was registered in
April 2007 on April 2006, 2.2% price growth – in April on March 2007,
which was mostly conditioned by a rise in the prices of pine-apple
(3.4%), pomegranate (3.5%), pear (5.5%), orange (7.8%), tangerine
(16.1%). Prices of lemon and grapes grew by 1.9% and 2.1% respectively
in the indicated period.

0.5% price growth was registered in the commodity group of meat
products in April on March 2007, mainly due to a growth in prices of
pork (2.5%) and mutton (2.2%). The growth in beef price made 0.4% in
the indicated period. The 8.7% fall in the price of eggs in
January-March 2007 was followed by 0.2% price growth in April. 0.2%
price growth was registered in the commodity group of milk products in
April on March 2007, while prices in the commodity groups of
confectionery, other foodstuffs, alcoholic drinks and cigarettes
remained at the previous month’s level.