ArmInfo. In the consumer market of Armenia in July 2021, y-o-y inflation increased to 8.2% (from 1.5% a year earlier), due to an increase in prices for food products (including alcohol and cigarettes) by 13.1% and non-food products by 9.6 %, with an increase in tariffs for services by 1.8%, while a year earlier (July 2020 to July 2019) there was an increase in the price of food products by 2.1% and an increase in tariffs for services by 1.4%, while the prices of non-food products remained unchanged. This is evidenced by the data of the RA Statistical Committee.
In January-July 2021, inflation in the consumer market amounted to 3.3% (against 1.1% deflation a year earlier), which was provoked by a rise in prices for food products by 4.4%, non-food products by 4.8% and an increase in tariffs for services for 1.1%. As a comparison, we note that in January-July 2020, food products fell in price by 2.7%, non-food products - by 1.2%, and tariffs for services increased by 0.9%. According to statistics, the average monthly growth in consumer prices in January-July 2021 amounted to 0.5%, against a decline of 0.15% a year earlier.
On a y-o-y terms (January-July 2021 to January-July 2020), inflation in the consumer market amounted to 6.1% (against inflationary 0.7% a year earlier), which was facilitated by almost the same rise in prices for food and non-food products - by 8.5% and 8.2% respectively, and an increase in service tariffs by 1.9%.
In July 2021 alone, deflation of 0.5% was recorded (against deflationary 0.8% in June of this year and 2.1% in July 2020), provoked by a decrease in the price of food products by 1.2% (against 4.9% decline in July 2020), non-food products - by 0.2% (against 0.3% decline in July 2020), and an increase in tariffs for services by 0.1% (against 0.3% growth in July 2020). In Yerevan, in July 2021, consumer prices decreased by 0.6%, against a 1.9% decline in July 2020.
On a y-o-y terms, vegetables (July 2021 to July 2020) went up in price by 53.1%, and in July alone they fell in price by 2.5%. Fruits fell in price both on a y-o-y terms - by 11.8%, and in the reporting month (July) - by 13%. In total, vegetables and fruits fell in price in July 2021 by 7.1%, and this group of food products, having a share of 8.35% in the food basket, had a 0.6% downward effect on consumer prices.
Oils of vegetable and animal origin have risen in price on a y-o-y terms by 33.8%, and in July alone fell by 2.8%. This was mainly provoked by an increase in prices for sunflower oil on a y-o-y terms by 75.2%, with a 7% decrease in price in July.
Sugar and granulated sugar rose in price on a y-o-y terms by 39.4%, and fell in price by 2.1% in July alone.
Dairy products, cheese and eggs rose in price on a y-o-y terms by 12.1%, while in July they fell by 0.5%. Moreover, the price of eggs increased by 51.3% over the year, but in July fell by 2.3%.
Fish and seafood rose in price on a y-o-y terms by 23.8%, and in July alone- by 3%. Moreover, the price of trout increased on a y-o-y terms by 27.5%.
Meat products went up in price on a y-o-y terms by 9.7%, and in July alone - by 1.8%. In particular, pork rose in price on a y-o-y terms by 32.2%.
Alcoholic beverages and cigarettes rose in price on a y-o-y terms by 9.2%, and in July alone- by 0.5%. Moreover, on a y-o-y terms, the average increase in prices for alcoholic beverages was 8.6% and 0.1% in July, and for cigarettes - 10.3% and 1.2%, respectively.
In July, prices for bakery products, cereals, coffee, tea, cocoa and soft drinks also went up - by 0.3-0.4%. In the non-food market, in July 2021, gasoline and diesel fuel rose in price - by 2.3% and 1.1%, respectively. On a y-o-y terms (July 2021 to July 2020), gasoline and diesel fuel rose in price by 56.8% and 43.6%, and in January-July 2021 alone - by 32.1% and 39.5%, respectively.
An increase in tariffs for services was recorded in the sectors of culture and recreation - in July by 0.6% (with a y-o-y growth of 0.7%), in the sector of restaurant and hotel business - by 0.6% in July (with a y-o-y growth of 2.9%), in the transport sector - by 0.2% in July (with a y-o-y growth of 11.8%), due to a 5.4% decrease in prices for international flights. And in the field of communications in July, services fell by 0.1%, with a y-o-y growth of 0.9%. In the health care sector, prices fell by 0.2% in July, and increased on a y-o-y terms by 5.9%, which was also observed in housing and communal services - a 0.2% decline in July was accompanied by a y-o-y growth of 9.3%. In the field of education in July, tariffs for services did not change, but increased on a y-o-y terms by 2.1%.
The July consumer market deflation of 0.5% was accompanied by the dram strengthening against the dollar by 4.3%. In January-July 2021, consumer market inflation of 3.3% was accompanied by a 5.4% revaluation of the dram against the dollar (against deflation of 1.9% and the devaluation of the dram by 1.3% a year earlier). In July 2021 by July 2020, the dram devaluated against the dollar by 1.3% - to 490.9 AMD / $ 1 with inflation of 8.2% (against 484.6 AMD / $ 1 a year earlier, with a 1.7% devaluation under inflation in 1.5%).
