2009 was hard for Estonian industry
According to Statistics Estonia, in 2009 compared to the previous year, the production of industrial enterprises decreased 26%.
The rapid decline in industrial production that had started in the last months of 2008 continued in 2009 — the decrease in the industrial production remained around 30% from January till September, at the end of the year the decline slightly slowed down. In October 20%, in November 14%, in December 11% less industrial production was produced compared to the same month of 2008. The main reason of improving of the situation in the last months of the year was not the expansion of production but comparison with a lower reference base than in the previous months of the year.
In manufacturing, the production fell 28% in 2009 compared to 2008. The main reason causing the decline was a continually insufficient demand both on domestic and external markets. Despite the decline in prices the demand in domestic market was reduced by growing unemployment and decrease in wages and salaries. The export of production was hindered by the decrease of demand in the external markets resulting from the world business depression. The branches holding the largest share in production in 2009 were the manufacturing of food, wood and metal products. In 2009 compared to the previous year, the production decreased in all branches of manufacturing. The production of building materials, which is directly connected with the decline in the domestic construction market, chemical products, machinery and equipment and metals fell more than 40%. The smallest fall (less than 10%) was in the manufacturing of primary demand goods — production of food, beverages and pharmaceutical products, as well as in the manufacturing of electronic products, where the situation improved considerably during the last months.
In December 2009 the production in manufacturing decreased 11% compared to December of the previous year.
In 2009 compared to 2008, the production of electricity decreased 17%, the production of heat — 4%. The decrease in electricity production was caused by a partial replacement of own production with the imports of electricity. In December 2009 compared to December 2008, the production of electricity fell 18%, the production of heat rose 13%.
In December 2009 compared to November, the seasonally adjusted industrial production decreased 2%.
The volume index and trend of production in manufacturing,
January 2000 – December 2009 (2005 = 100)
| Economic activity | 2009 compared to 2008 | December 2009 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| change compared to the previous month according to seasonally adjusted dataa | change compared to the corresponding month of the previous year | |||
| according to unadjusted data | according to working-day adjusted datab | |||
| TOTAL | -26.3 | -2.2 | -8.3 | -10.7 |
| Energy production | -12.9 | 14.8 | -6.2 | -6.2 |
| Mining | -11.0 | -8.3 | -10.0 | -11.5 |
| Manufacturing | -27.9 | -2.5 | -8.4 | -11.0 |
| manufacture of food products | -8.2 | 1.7 | -5.3 | -6.8 |
| manufacture of beverages | -6.0 | -2.1 | 8.3 | 5.2 |
| manufacture of wood and wood products | -25.9 | -12.7 | 4.7 | 1.8 |
| manufacture of fabricated metal products | -39.0 | -12.0 | -22.0 | -24.7 |
| manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products | -6.9 | 13.1 | 58.8 | 54.3 |
| manufacture of electrical equipment | -28.3 | -14.0 | -34.3 | -36.6 |
| manufacture of chemicals and chemical products | -45.3 | -18.7 | -27.0 | -29.1 |
| manufacture of furniture | -26.4 | -0.7 | -13.7 | -16.5 |
| manufacture of rubber and plastic products | -28.9 | -1.4 | 7.5 | 3.4 |
| manufacture of building materials | -44.5 | -26.1 | -35.2 | -36.7 |
a In case of the seasonally adjusted volume index, the impact of the differing numbers of working days in a month and seasonally recurring factors has been eliminated. It is calculated only in comparison with the previous period.
b In case of the working-day adjusted volume index, the impact of the differing number of working days in a month has been eliminated. It is calculated only in comparison with the corresponding period of the previous year.