Even though the inflation rate slowed down in Armenia, life has become significantly expensive. In comparison with same period last year, the consumer basket value increased by 24.3 percent in the third quarter of this year. The average monthly salary was 114,500 drams (US$ 297), this September, and this has increased by 7,600 drams (US$ 19.72), in comparison with September 2010.    

56.5 percent of Armenia’s consumer basket comprises basic foods.  

Due to the extremely low food level in the minimum consumer basket, the state is artificially combating against poverty, for years on end. And after the global economic crisis, tens of thousand of Armenian families, who were in the “non-poor” category, found themselves in the “poor” category.   

But values are being reassessed in Armenia, in recent times. After long years, the forgotten agriculture is once again at the center of the government’s attention. PM also spoke in favor of the progressive nature of income tax, in order to increase the taxes for the rich. And it is also time to review the minimum consumer basket, with the aim of seeing the true picture of poverty.