“In the free market, prices must be managed by the very market, but exceptions are possible,” Ziyad Samadzade, head of the standing parliamentary commission on economic policy, said on 20 May when commenting on rise in prices for foodstuffs in the country.

According to Samadzade, creation of grain fund in near future will definitely have an impact on the market. “When necessary, the grain from the fund will be put for turnover and thus everything will be managed,” he said.

Samadzade said that the most important thing is to maintain competitiveness and transparency in expenditures for consumer commodities.
According to the Azerbaijan State Statistical Committee, prices for foodstuffs and services hiked by 3.1% in April 2008 compared to March 2008 and by 17.8% in Jan to April 2008 for the same period of 2007. Inflation growth comprised 10.9% in the recent four months.