Armenian Retailers Who Raised Price of Bread Won’t Go Unpunished

Protection of Consumers’ Rights (PCR) NGO President Abgar Yeghoyan, during a meeting with journalists today, said that he connects the recent increase in the price of wheat to the announcement by Russia’s prime minister.

“The only reason for the price increase is the Russian prime minister’s statement that they are prohibiting the export of wheat till the fall, which has been just 20 million tons annually in all, but you don’t know why no one’s listening to and [in fact] ignoring the US’ statement that it will export 15 million tons more this year,” said Yeghoyan. 

The PCR president also added that four days ago, the price of wheat per ton dropped by $5 USD in the international exchange, while, in Armenia, certain retailers are attempting to cause a baseless panic by raising the price of flour and bread.

Yeghoyan advised journalists not to add fuel to the flame. “You shouldn’t, like a constantly rolling snowball, speak of the increase in the price of wheat; let’s say that that increase is simply groundless,” he said.

Yeghoyan also promised that the RA State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition will implement certain punitive measures connected with the price increase since the goods haven’t entered the country at a high price and all sales have taken place at low prices.