FOOD PRICES GROW BY 0.8% IN ARMENIA IN DECEMBER 2008

Noyan Tapan

Jan 8, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 8, NOYAN TAPAN. 0.8% growth of food prices was
recorded in Armenia in December on November 2008, which was mostly
due to 0.1-18.1% growth of prices in 8 out of the 13 food commodity
groups under observation.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, prices in
the commodity group of potato and vegetales increased by 18.1%
in December on November 2008 and fell by 11.9% in December 2008 on
December 2007. There was a growth in prices of tomato (1.9fold),
cucumber (41.5%), beet (12.7%), carrot (8.1%), cauliflower (7.9%)
and onion (4.7%) in December on November 2008.

Potato and garlic prices fell by 4.1% and 0.2% respectively in the
indicated period.

The price growth in the fruit commodity group made 13.1% in December
on November 2008. There was a growth in prices of apple (5%), pear
(6.8%), pomegranate (16.8%), red pulp Malta orange (18%), and grapes
(20%), while prices of orange, tangerine and lemon fell by 11.2-27.8%
in the indicated period.

The average republican price of eggs increased by 2.4% in December on
November 2008. Prices of fish grew by 1.1% in the same period. Prices
of meat products grew by 0.1% in December on November 2008 and by
9.1% in December 2008 on December 2007. Pork prices grew by 4.5%,
while mutton and beef prices fell by 1.7% and 1.2% respectively in
December on November 2008.

Prices of alcoholic drinks, cigarettes, confectionery, dairy products,
coffee, tea and cocoa increased by 0.1-0.7% in December on November
2008.

Prices of soft drinks remained unchanged as compared with the
previous month.

16.9% price growth in the commodity group of bread products in
January-October 2008 was followed by a 7.7% price fall, with
prices falling by 3.5% in December on November, which was mainly
conditioned by a fall in prices of flour (6.1%), grain (4.4%)
and high-quality bread (4%). Prices of rice, some types of bread,
macaroni, buckwheat, lavash and cracked wheat fell by 0.2-2.2%
in the indicated period. 14.8% fall in flour prices was recorded in
Armenia in July-December 2008 following 20.4% growth in flour prices in
January-June 2008. 15% growth of bread prices in January-September 2008
was followed by 8.5% fall in bread prices in October-December 2008.

Prices in the commodity group of butter and vegetable oil fell by 1%
in December on November 2008, which was mostly due to a fall in prices
of sunflower oil (2.5%) and butter (1.2%). Prices of melted butter
and margarine grew by 0.2-1.1%, while prices of granulated sugar and
other foodstuffs fell by 0.2% in the indicated period.