YEREVAN. – As a result of last year’s price hikes, poverty rate exceeded 30 percent in Armenia.

Karen Chilingaryan, Director of the “Consumer Consulting Center” NGO, said the abovementioned at a press conference on Tuesday.

In his assessment, poverty rate may reach 40 percent in the country, and the rise in prices has created problems for consumers.

But Chilingaryan added that despite this, people in Armenia continued their preparations for the New Year, and that this is normal because they wanted to properly celebrate their favorite holiday.

In the expert’s words, however, prices in Armenia will continue to rise in 2018, and the prices of about 40 products—including consumer staples—are expected to increase in the country.