The volume of industrial production decreased by 5% last year
According to Statistics Estonia, the total production of industrial enterprises in 2020 was 5% smaller than the year before. Production decreased in all three main industrial sectors: by 19% in energy production, by 13% in mining and by 4% in manufacturing.
Industry is the largest sector of the economy and an important driver of economic growth. The index of industrial production covers the economic indicators of three industrial activities: mining, energy production, and manufacturing.
Helle Bunder, analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that manufacturing production fell by 4% last year compared to 2019. “The impact of the coronavirus on manufacturing was the most noticeable in April and May when the volume of production decreased by 15% and 17%, respectively,” explained Bunder.
Of the 23 manufacturing activities, there were only three where production exceeded the level of 2019: the manufacture of wood and the manufacture of chemical products among larger activities, and the manufacture of pharmaceutical products among smaller activities. Production volumes remained on the same level in the manufacture of computers and electronic products and in the manufacture of electrical equipment. Among the activities with the largest shares, there was a decrease in the manufacture of building materials, furniture and food products.
In 2020, 67% of the total production of manufacturing was sold to the external market. Compared to 2019, export sales fell by 3% and domestic sales by 5%.
In December, total industrial production increased by 1% year on year and manufacturing production also rose by 1%. In energy production, the volume of electricity production (in megawatt-hours) increased by 3% and the production of heat by 1% compared to December 2019.
In December, compared to November, the seasonally adjusted total industrial production increased by 2% and the production of manufacturing increased by 3%.
Statistics Estonia performs the statistical activity “Production indices” for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications with the aim to determine the economic situation in Estonia.
Information about different industrial activities can be found on the business dashboards.
See also the dedicated section on industry.
More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.
For further information:
Kadri Kütt
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 625 9181