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Armenian nutritionists voice concerns over the growing food prices, warning it can lead to negative consequences, such as increase in number of malnourished children and people with health issues.

“The minimum consumer basket of goods is 57,000 AMD, while the minimum salary totals to 55,000 AMD in Armenia. However even 57,000 AMD is not enough to buy the necessary food. Butter, meat prices are higher in Armenia than in developed countries in case when the minimum wage in those countries is ten times higher,” Doctor of Nutrition Sciences (DNS), Davit Pipoyan said Wednesday.

Speaking to Panorama.am, the expert expressed concerns over the sharp decline in Armenia’s food security index, with the Armenian people facing serious problems on the backdrop of food price increase in other states.

Mr. Pipoyan also touched upon the issue of sharp increase in butter price, urging the need to boost the local production given the fact Armenia has all the necessary geographic conditions.

In his words, people will have to buy low-quality food amid the ongoing inflation, which will further aggravate the issue of malnutrition. 

Citing a study on the topic of “Poverty, happiness and food prices”, he stated it revealed that people from different states who have to spend 25-30 percent of their income to purchase food, are not happy.

“I have to admit that the total salary of our family members is spent solely on food and house warming. In this case how can we blame those people who buy poor quality but cheap food?” he highlighted.

According to Mr. Pipoyan, downward trends are observed in food safety and provision fields, with the statements of the officials showing the country is moving in the reverse direction.

“The state authorities of our country make statements contrary to the food provision strategy. For instance, the general European agrarian policies on food envisage real prices for all agricultural products. This comes when Armenia’s minister of agriculture announces that the market controls the prices: the inflation will lead to rise in investments, which will stabilize the market. If a minister makes such statements, it means he has no insight in the field,” he stated.

According to Pipoyan, today Armenian producers mainly export their products, and the statements of the officials do not stem from concerns over food provision, but rather from business projects of tycoons and their families and from their interests.