ArmInfo.The population of Armenia is not ready for the upcoming increase in prices for essential goods. The director of the Center for Economic Development Initiatives Marine Arakelyan said this at a press conference.
Arakelyan recalled that in 2015 Armenia joined the EAEU, taking a 5-year grace period in order to mitigate the negative consequences of rising prices for non-EAEU imported goods. However, in 2020, this period is coming to an end. She recalled that on 900 items of goods that fell under customs exemptions, a rise in price is expected from January 1, 2020, of which 300 goods are related to vehicles. According to her, poultry meat, frozen cattle meat, rice, sunflower oil and butter, dairy products will rise in price.
''Currently a duty of 22% is applied to chicken meat, in 2020 we will switch to 25% duty, in 2021 - 50%, and in 2022 the customs duty on chicken meat from third countries will be about 80%. Armenia imports about 60% of chicken meat from the USA and Brazil, therefore, in this context, prices will be obvious, but if these goods are imported from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, a zero duty will be established'', she said.
"In the case of import of the oil and fat industry, 13% of the customs duty is in effect today, since 2020, oil imports from third countries will amount to 15%," Arakelyan said, urging the country's population to give preference to goods from the EAEU and Ukraine, with which the free trade zone regime operates.
However, Arakelyan noted that given that citizens' incomes are not subject to progressive growth, at this stage the government should take appropriate measures to curb inflation.