FOOD PRICES RISE BY 3.3% IN ARMENIA IN NOVEMBER 2007

Noyan Tapan
Dec 03 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 3, NOYAN TAPAN. 3.3% rise in food prices was
registered in Armenia in November on October 2007, which was mainly
due to 0.2-17.7% price growth in 11 out of the 13 commodity groups
observed.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, 21.8% inflation was
registered in the fruit commodity group in November 2007 on November
2006 and 17.7% in November on October 2007, which was mainly due to a
rise in prices of peach (24.6%), strawberry (20.5%), grapes (17.8%),
watermelon (3.2fold) and melon (1.7fold). Prices of banana, orange
and apple grew by 3-9.7% in the indicated period. 5.4% price fall was
registered in the commodity group of potato and vegetables in November
2007 on November 2006, and 12.8% price growth in November on October
2007, which was mainly conditioned by a growth in prices of tomato
(2.3fold), cucumber (1.7fold), green pepper (53.3%), eggplant (47.2%),
green bean (39.4%). Prices of onion, potato, garlic and cauliflower
grew by 3.1-12.2% in the indicated period.

2.7% inflation was registered in the commodity group of bread
products in November on October 2007, mainly due to a 5.1% rise in
flour price. Bread price grew by 1.3% in the indicated period.

4.1% inflation was registered in the commodity group of butter and
vegetable oil in November on October 2007, mainly as a result of 9.5%
growth in price of margarine and 6.5% growth in price of vegetable
oil. Butter price grew by 3.3% in the indicated period. The 11%
overall fall in price of vegetable oil (sunflower oil) in Armenia in
January 2006 – July 2007 was followed by a 71.7% overall inflation
in August-November 2007. The minimum average monthly price of 1
liter of vegetable oil made 478 drams (in the city of Vagharshapat)
in July 2007, while the maximum average price made 1,000 drams in
November (the city of Talin). The ratio of the maximum average price
of vegetable oil registered on November 20, 2007 to the minimum
average price in July made 209.2%. The 5.4% overall fall in butter
price in February 2006 – April 2007 was followed by a 47.2% overall
price growth in May-November 2007. The minimum monthly price of 1
kg of butter made 1,400 drams in April 2007 (the city of Martuni),
while the maximum average monthly price – 2,433 drams (Yerevan). The
ratio of the maximum average price of butter on November 20, 2007 to
the minimum average montly price registered in April made 173.1%.

0.6% inflation registered in the commodity group of meat products in
November on October 2007 was mainly conditioned by a growth in prices
of chicken leg (1.4%), ham (2.3%), sausage (3.6-10.8%). Prices of
beef and pork fell by 1% in the indicated period, while mutton price
remained the same.

The average price of egg grew by 0.6% in November on October 2007.

0.2-1.8% growth in prices of confectionery, milk products, soft
drinks and other foodstuffs was registered in Armenia, while price
of granulted sugar fell by 7.4% in November on October 2007.

The average settlement exchange rate of the Armenian dram against
the US dollar made 317.59 drams in November 2007, which is by 15.6%
less than the index of November 2006 (376.16 drams).

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress