ArmInfo. On the consumer market of Armenia, in 2018, from April to July inclusive, monthly deflation is fixed, while in 2017 the decline in demand began in May and continued throughout the summer. According to the data of the National Statistical Service of Armenia, in January-July of 2018, deflation was registered at 1.7%, against 1.4% deflation in the same period in 2017.
This was provoked by a reduction in the price of exclusively food products (including alcohol and cigarettes) by 5.4%, with a rise in prices for non-food products by 1.4% and an increase in tariffs for services by 1.2%. On an annual basis (as compared to January-July 2017), consumer prices were fixed at 2.4% (against inflation of 0.5% a year ago), helped by the rise in price of food products by 2%, non-food products - by 4.9% % and an increase in tariffs for services by 1.5%. The average monthly decline in prices for food products in January-July 2018 was 0.2%, repeating last year's trend.
In July 2018, by July 2017, consumer prices increased by 2.3% due to a rise in the price of food products by 1.3%, non-food products - by 5.5% and increase in tariffs for services by 1.4%. Only in July there was a deflation of 1.2% against the background of cheaper food products by 2.5% and non-food products - by 0.5%, with a 0.1% increase in tariffs for services. In Yerevan, consumer prices declined by 1.1% in July 2018, against a decline of 2.4% a year earlier.
According to statistics, the July deflation in the food market is due mainly to a reduction in the price of fruits and vegetables by 16.7% and 11.8%, respectively. And, only in the capital, vegetables for July fell by 11.2%, and fruits - by 16.5%. In the annual cut (compared to July 2017), prices for vegetables decreased by 1%, and fruits - by 12.6%.
In the consumer basket, the total share of fruits and vegetables is 8.36%, and their total price reduction in July by 13.4% pushed the index down by 1.1 percentage points.
Dairy products, cheese and eggs fell in price in July by 1.1% (only eggs - by 3.7%), and in the annual cut, prices for these products decreased by 0.5%. In the capital, this group of goods fell by 0.6%.
Sugar and sugar fell in price in July by 4.8%, and in the annual cut - by 16.8%. And, only in the capital, the price of cheaper in July was 4.1%.
Bakery products, cereals, coffee, tea and cocoa fell in price by 0.1% in July.
Meat products rose in price by 7.6% on an annual basis, but only in July they fell by 0.3%, while in the capital growth was registered at 0.1%.
Fish products went up 1.1% in July, and in annual terms - by 7.3%.
Vegetable and melted oil rose in price in July 2018 by 0.1%, soft drinks - by 0.2%, alcohol and cigarettes - by 0.4% (due to a rise in price of cigarettes by 0.9%).
In the non-food market in July fell in price: clothing - by 3.7%, footwear - by 3%, cleaning products - by 1.1%, tableware and kitchen utensils - by 0.5%, building materials - by 0.3%, jewelry products - by 0.3%, medicines - by 0.1%. At the same time, there was a rise in price of household appliances - by 0.1%, horticultural equipment - by 0.1%, furniture - by 0.4%, carpets and floor coverings - by 0.6%, electrical equipment - by 0.6%, lubricants and fuel - by 1%. Prices for gasoline in July did not change, and diesel fuel went up by 1.5%, in comparison with July 2017, gasoline and diesel fuel went up by 17.1% and 27.9%, respectively. In January-July 2018 gasoline and diesel fuel went up by 9.3% and 22.5%, respectively. Only in the capital, non-food items fell in price by 0.9% in July.
The July rise in prices for services was mainly due to a rise in the cost of recreation services and cultural events by 0.7%, an increase in transportation tariffs by 0.6% (due to an increase of 1.8% in tariffs for international flights) . In the capital, tariffs for services rose by 0.1% in July.
To note, in January-July 2017, deflation in Armenia was 1.4%, while in July the deflation was 2.6%. In particular, in January-July, food products fell 1.6%, non-food products - 2.3%, while tariffs for services decreased by 0.7%. Annual inflation (January-July 2017 to January-July 2016) amounted to 0.5% due to a rise in the price of food products by 4%, with a reduction in the price of non-food products by 3% and a decrease in tariffs for services by 1.9%. In July 2017 compared with July 2016 in the consumer market recorded inflation of 0.9% against the backdrop of a rise in price of food products by 3.3%, with a cheaper non-food products by 2.7% and the unchanged rates for services. Only in July 2017 deflation in 2.6% provoked cheaper 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 earlier.