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Chicken eggs became cheaper in Armenia in February. You could even buy eggs for 35 AMD. As a result of it, especially small and medium-sized companies producing eggs were faced with a problem. They were selling eggs at a price lower than the cost price.

On March 17, in order to understand the problem and find solutions, the Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs Taguhi Tovmasyan initiated a discussion on the current situation in the egg market.

The RA NA deputies, the representatives from the executive body and the State Commission for the Protection of the Economic Competition (SCPEC), economic entities took part in the discussion.

The Committee Chair Taguhi Tovmasyan, presenting the motive for initiating a discussion, informed that one of the companies producing eggs is on the verge of closing, because of the price reduction in the egg market. The deputy also reminded that last year on the eve of Easter there was a shortage of eggs.

As the member of the Competition Protection Commission Hayk Karapetyan informed, the Commission received a number of complaints about low prices of eggs in the market and conducted a study. As a result of the study, it has been recorded that the author of the price reduction is a new economic entity entering the market, the company representing the “Shirak” brand, which does not have a dominant position, therefore cannot abuse its rights.

According to Hayk Karapetyan, offering a low price was a famous marketing ploy. “Those who do not have a dominant position are free in their pricing policy, because they cannot unilaterally have an impact on the market, therefore, we have not initiated proceedings,” he noted.

The representative of the company representing the “Shirak” brand Manase Yepremyan reaffirmed that it was a marketing ploy. According to her, their company aspires to become one of the dominant egg producers in June of this year, so it will no longer be able to make such offers.

The representative of the Arax Poultry Vahe Martirosyan has said that the artificial reduction in the price of eggs has bad impact on large companies. According to him, the sphere is unstable. Vahe Martirosyan proposed to settle the issue at the state level.

The member of the Competition Protection Commission Hayk Karapetyan has emphasized that the Commission does not interfere in the pricing policy of economic entities.

The economic entities could not clearly answer to the question of the NA deputy Aregnaz Manukyan whether the price of eggs would not increase before Easter. It was noted that there may be a shortage of eggs, which will lead to a price increase.

The economic entities, who took part in the discussion, also raised the issues related to the import of bird food, which emerged due to the closure of the Upper Lars checkpoint.

The Head of Food Safety Inspectorate Georgi Avetisyan informed that there were accumulations in the Upper Lars checkpoint due to weather conditions. According to him, more than 3000 cars are there at the moment. Georgi Avetisyan mentioned that in the current situation, problems related to the poultry meat may also arise in the market.

The Head of the Department of Primary Agricultural Production Levon Ter-Isahakyan said that weather conditions are already more favorable, and the issue is in the settlement stage.

The Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs Taguhi Tovmasyan, summarizing discussion, informed that the Government will submit proposals related to the issue, searching ways for the settlement.