YEREVAN, OCTOBER 23, NOYAN TAPAN. No rise in granulated sugar prices is envisaged within a year, while the country's stock of granulated sugar currently will suffice for 6 months, the chairman of the RA State Commission on Protection of Economic Competition Ashot Shahnazarian stated on October 23. At the same time, he said that an artificial agiotage situation has been created in Armenia' granulated sugar market in recent days: for example, 10 days' stock was sold yesterday. According to the commission chairman, if the situation is not rectified within the next two days and the problem of artificial deficit is not solved, the commission will use respective penalties envisaged by law. A. Shahnazarian said that granulated sugar is now sold at 220 drams (0.6 USD) in shops of the company importing it, whereas in other shops prices make 230-240 drams. According to the commission's information, this situation has been mainly created by shop employees, and no violations have been committed by the importer. 8-9 companies import granulated sugar into Armenia, with Salex Group supplying 84% of granulated sugar to the market. In the words of A. Shahnazarian, the maximum annual demand for granulated sugar is 60 thousand tons in Armenia. In the past 5 years, prices of 1 kg of granulated sugar fluctuated from 190 to 350 drams in the country.

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