YEREVAN. - The figures on imported eggs to Armenian unveiled at a press conference by the First Deputy Agriculture Minister Grisha Baghiyan “to put it mildly are untrue”, writes the Armenian 168 Zham newspaper.

The official said Armenia imported about 1 million eggs from Ukraine over a month. According to him, 350,000 eggs were sent back to the exported country after they underwent a strict examination.

However, the 168 Zham presents other figures.

“According to customs statistics, Armenia imported 15.1 million eggs in the first half of 2011. Thus, the country imports not 1 million eggs per month as Baghiyan says, but 2.5 million.  Not a single store is selling eggs with a label indicating they are produced in foreign country, including Ukraine. Thus, if we deduct the number of eggs provided to the army, it appears that at least 1.5 million eggs ‘disappeared’,” the newspaper writes.

“Naturally, they do not disappear, the products are just sold under the label of some local poultry farm,” reads the article.

Newspaper dismisses Baghyans assertions that egg production has reduced in Armenia due to increase in poultry production.

“In fact, local poultry farms can not compete with the foreign ones due to sale of cheap imported eggs under the guise of local production,” the newspaper says.