The Price of Half-Rotted Potatoes is 550, While Fresh Ones Start at 700 Dram: What Will the 'Proud' Citizen of Armenia Eat?

Record hikes in food prices are underway in the Armenian market. According to a report by Armlur.am journalist Sevak Vardumyan, it states: "In all my conscious life, I don’t remember a case where the cheapest rotten, half-rotted old potatoes cost 550 and fresh ones at least 700 dram. In this season of the year, when vegetables usually become cheaper, the price of a bunch of greens in Yerevan shops stubbornly remains at 200-250 dram, with the minimum price for tomatoes starting at 700 dram, and so on, and so forth.

Representatives of the political power, including members of the government cabinet and parliament, will find and present even the most unreasonable justification for these astounding price hikes, just to avoid calling things by their real names. As for looking for solutions and getting price policies back on track, there’s no point in discussing it; one either needs the drive, sufficient will, or, which is the most frightening, lack the knowledge and skills.

It is interesting how opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan would express himself from the podium of the National Assembly if potatoes cost 750 dram today. Let’s recall he mocked the ruling Republican Party regarding their insufficient efforts to combat price increases, joking with the public, saying, “What happened, dear people, meat has become expensive, eat mixed greens.” Now, apparently, the 'proud' citizens of Armenia are struggling even to buy mixed greens and do not know how to resolve their daily bread issue."