Azernews.Az

Prices increased by an average of 21.5% in Azerbaijan in the past year, according to official estimates.
Food prices rose 30% compared to September 2007, while those on other goods increased by 11.3%, and fees on services went up by 11.5%.
Inflation was recorded at 0.9% last month and at 13.9% for the January-September period, the State Statistics Committee said.
The Economic Research Center, a local group calculating inflation using alternative methods noted, early last week, that domestic prices increased 28.34% in the country over the past year. According to its calculations, food prices increased the most - by 38%. The figure constituted 0.6% in September and 17% over the first nine months of 2008.
The center concluded that price rises on both food and other products eased in past months, predicting that inflation will make up 25% by the end of the year.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts inflation to reach 22.4% in Azerbaijan for 2008 and 20% in 2009.
The group`s World Economic Outlook report said average inflation in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is to reach 15.6% and 12.6% in 2008 and 2009, respectively.
Among CIS states, inflation is expected to be higher in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan this year, than in Azerbaijan. In Armenia, the projected inflation is 9.4% this year and 5% next year.
The Azerbaijani government says inflation will be 20% to 22% in the country by year-end. In 2009, domestic prices are expected to rise 12% to 14%, according to the budgetary package submitted to parliament.