Rising complaints among Armenian citizens over increased liquid gas (LPG) prices and limited availability at some stations have prompted an official response from the State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition (SCPEC).
SCPEC Chairman Gegam Gevorgyan, speaking at a press conference, explained that the main reasons behind the price surge are seasonal demand growth and the closure of the Lars checkpoint, which affects transport times and costs.
“When Lars closes, a truck that would normally make the trip in 10 days takes 20, which increases transportation costs. And that's not even factoring in exchange-based fluctuations. Armenia isn’t the largest consumer. If other countries, even Pakistan, start buying large quantities from the exchange during high-demand seasons, prices rise globally. Naturally, this affects Armenia too,” Gevorgyan said, as quoted by Panorama.am .
He stressed that over 100 operators are involved in LPG imports to Armenia, making market collusion unlikely.
According to Gevorgyan, no single importer holds more than a 9% market share, ruling out monopolistic control. “We could choose not to monitor this sector at all, since no company exceeds 9% market share and over 100 economic entities are importing LPG,” he told Radar Armenia.
