ArmInfo. On the consumer market of Armenia in January-July 2017 deflation in 1.4% was fixed, against 3.3% deflation in the same period of 2016. This was provoked by a reduction in the price of food products (including alcohol and cigarettes) by 1.6% and non-food products by 2.3% and a 0.7% decrease in tariffs for services.
According to the data of the National Statistical Service of Armenia provided to ArmInfo, an inflation of 0.5% (against deflation of 1.5% a year ago) was registered in the consumer market (compared to January-July 2016), driven by a 4% rise in the price of food products, With a reduction in the price of non-food products by 3% and a decrease in tariffs for services by 1.9%. The average monthly decline in prices for foodstuffs amounted to 0.2% in January-July 2017, against a decline of 0.5% a year ago.
In July 2017, by July 2016, consumer prices increased by 0.9% due to a rise in the price of food products by 3.3%, with a decrease in the price of non-food products by 2.7% and the unchanged rates for services. Only in July, deflation was registered at 2.6% against the background of cheapening of food and non-food products by 5.3% and 0.8% respectively, with a 0.1% increase in tariffs for services. In Yerevan, consumer prices declined in July 2017 by 2.4%, against a decline of 2.3% a year ago.
According to statistics, the July deflation in the food market is due mainly to a reduction in the price of fruits and vegetables by 31.1% and 20%, respectively. And, only in the capital, vegetables for July have fallen in price by 30%, and fruits - by 15.2%. In annual terms (in comparison with July 2016), prices for vegetables increased by 3.8%, and fruits went up by 12.7%.
In the consumer basket, the total share of vegetables, potatoes and fruits is 8.58%, and their total price reduction in July by 26.9% pushed the index down by 2.28 percentage points.
Dairy products, cheese and eggs fell in July by 0.6% (only eggs-by 1.6%), and in the annual terms the prices for these products increased by 1.4%.
Fish products fell in price by 0.2% in July, having risen in price by 25.2% in annual terms. In the capital, fish products fell in price by 0.2%.
Non-alcoholic beverages, tea, coffee and cocoa fell by 0.6-0.5% in July, while the price of granulated sugar did not change.
Vegetable and melted oil rose in price in July 2017 to July 2016 by 4.9%, and only in July - by 0.4%, due to a rise in price of butter by 2%.
Meat products rose in price by 4.8% in annual terms, but only in July-by 1%, and the growth in the capital was 1.4%.
Confectionery products went up in July by 0.3%, and bakery products production and cereals, alcohol and cigarettes rose in price by 0.1%.