ArmInfo. The consumer market of Armenia in Jan-April 2018 recorded inflation of 2.1%, against 2.4% inflation in the same period in 2017. According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, this was provoked by an increase in the prices of food products (including alcohol and cigarettes) by 3%, non-food products by 2.2% and tariffs for services by 1%. On an annual basis (as compared to January-April 2017), the inflation rate was fixed at 3.1% (against inflation of 0.1% a year ago), helped by the rise in price of food products by 3.6%, non-food products - by 4%, 6% and an increase in tariffs for services by 1.5%.
According to statistics, in April 2018, by April 2017, consumer prices increased by 2.4% due to a rise in price of food products by 1.7%, non-food products - by 5.1% and increase in tariffs for services by 1.7%. Only in April, a deflation of 0.3% was registered against the background of a reduction in the price of food products by 1.2%, with a rise in the price of non-food products by 0.4% and an increase in tariffs for services by 0.2%. In Yerevan, consumer prices declined in April 2018 by 0.3%, against growth of 1.1% a year earlier.
The April deflation in the food market is due mainly to the reduction in the price of vegetables by 5.3%, dairy products, cheese and eggs - by 3.1% due to a decrease in the price of eggs by 11.9%. In annual terms (compared to April 2017), prices for vegetables fell by 12.3%, while dairy products, cheeses and eggs went up by 2%. In Yerevan, vegetables have fallen in price by 4.9% in April, and dairy products, cheeses and eggs - by 3.4%.
Bakery products and cereals fell by 0.3% in April, while sugar, coffee, tea and cocoa did not change in price.
Meat products rose in price by 11.8% in annual terms, but only in April they fell 0.2%, while in the capital the decline in prices was 0.1%.
Fruits rose in annual terms by 4.5%, but only in April - by 1.5%. In the capital, fruits grew in price for April by only 0.5%.
Vegetable and melted oil rose in price in April 2018 to April 2017 by 15%, and only in April - by 0.8%, mainly due to a rise in price of butter by 0.9%. In the capital, vegetable and melted butter grew in price for April by 1%.
Fish and seafood rose in annual terms by 6.4%, but only in April - by 0.4%.
Non-alcoholic beverages rose 0.1% in April and alcohol and cigarettes by 0.3%.
In non-food market, clothing and footwear went up in April 2018 by 7.3% by April 2017, and only by April - by 2.5% (clothes by 1.5%, footwear by 4.1%). For January-April 2018 clothing and footwear fell 1.6%, with an annual price increase of 4.9%. For April, also goods for personal use went up - by 1.2%, household items and garden tools - by 0.4%, cleaning and washing materials - by 0.3%, furniture and medicines - by 0.1%. At the same time, carpets and floor coverings went down by 0.9%, fuel and lubricants by 0.4%, jewelry - by 0.1%. Gasoline and diesel fuel for April did not change in price, compared with April 2017 increased by 16.6% and 25.9% respectively. For January-April 2017 gasoline and diesel fuel went up by 9.3% and 20.4%, respectively. Only in the capital of non-food products rose in price in April by 0.8%.
The April rise in prices for services was mainly due to the increase in tariffs in the transport sector - by 2.5% (due to an increase of 6.7% in tariffs for international flights), as well as a rise in the price of hotel and restaurant services - by 1.1% and apartment repair services housing and communal services - by 0.1%. In parallel with this, services for recreation organization dropped by 2.3% in April, while tariffs for household appliances repair, medical care and communication services did not change. In the capital, tariffs for services rose by 0.2% in April.