YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Food prices rose by 4.4% in Armenia in January 2008 on December 2007, which is by 0.6% lower than the respective index of the same period of last year. According to the RA National Statistical Service, 0.3-34% inflation was registered in 10 out of the 13 commodity groups under observation. 2.1% price fall was registered in the commodity group of vegetables and potato in January 2008 on January 2007 and a 34% price growth - in January 2008 on December 2007, which exceeded the respective index of last year by 4.5% (29.5%). A growth in prices of tomato (1.1fold), cucumber (50.3%), onion (19.4%), beet (11.8%), carrot (9%), potato (4%), garlic (1.9%) was registered in Armenia in January 2008 on December 2007. There was 7.4% price growth in the fruit commodity group in January 2008 on January 2007, 8.9% price growth was registered in January 2008 on December 2007. Prices of tangerine, lemon, grapes, apple, banana, pomegranate, pear, blood orange grew by 8.9-50.6% in Armenia in January 2008 on December 2007. 11% price growth was registered in the commodity group of fish products in January 2008 on December 2007. 1.1% price growth was registered in the commodity group of meat products in the indicated period, mainly due to a 11.3% growth in pork price. The price of beef grew by 1%, while that of mutton fell by 0.5%. 0.3-1.7% price growth was registered in the commodity groups of bread products, confectionery, soft drinks, milk products, egg, coffee, tea, cocoa in January 2008 on December 2007. There was 24.6% price growth in the commodity group of butter and vegetable oil in January 2008 on January 2007, and 3.6% price fall was registered in January 2008 on December 2007 - mainly due to 8.3% fall in the price of butter. Prices of vegetable and other oils fell by 1.6-4.3% in January 2008 on December 2007. Price of granulated sugar fell by 19.7% in Armenia in January 2008 on January 2007 and by 1.7% in January 2008 on December 2007.

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