In April, industrial production remained at the previous year’s level

News
Posted on 2 June 2015, 11:00
According to Statistics Estonia, in April 2015, the production of industrial enterprises remained at the same level as in April of the previous year. Production increased in manufacturing and mining, but decreased in energy production.

While in February the production in manufacturing increased 5% and in March 3% compared to the same month of the previous year, then in April the growth in production decelerated to 1%. In April, about a half of the branches of industry surpassed the volume of the previous year. The growth in production volume was caused primarily by an increase in the manufacture of electronic and wood products, where production rose 6% and 8%, respectively. In April, among the branches of industry holding larger shares, the production rose also in the manufacture of metal products, electrical equipment, furniture and motor vehicles. The volume of production fell in the manufacture of food, chemical products and building materials.

70% of the whole production of manufacturing was sold on the external market in April. Compared to April 2014, the export sales as well as domestic sales of manufacturing production remained at the level of the previous year according to unadjusted data.

In April 2015 compared to March 2015, the seasonally adjusted total industrial production grew by 1%, the volume of manufacturing production fell by 2%.

Compared to April 2014, the production of electricity decreased by 15% and the production of heat increased by 12%.

Diagram: Volume index and trend of production in manufacturing

Change in volume index of industrial production, April 2015
(percentages)
Economic activity 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 1.1 -0.1 -0.1
Energy production 12.2 -6.8 -6.8
Mining 9.1 1.3 1.3
Manufacturing -1.9 0.5 0.5
manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products -3.4 5.5 5.5
manufacture of wood and wood products 0.2 8.0 8.0
manufacture of food products -5.5 -6.6 -6.6
manufacture of fabricated metal products 3.0 8.7 8.7
manufacture of electrical equipment 1.6 5.8 5.8
manufacture of chemicals and chemical products -16.8 -31.2 -31.2
manufacture of furniture 0.7 9.0 9.0
manufacture of motor vehicles 0.1 13.9 13.9
manufacture of building materials -9.1 -11.2 -11.2
manufacture of machinery and equipment -0.6 3.5 3.5

a In the case of the seasonally adjusted volume index of industrial production, the impact of the differing number of working days in a month and seasonally recurring factors have been eliminated. It is calculated only in comparison with the previous period.

b In the case of the working-day adjusted volume index of industrial production, 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.

The statistics are based on the questionnaires “Industry”, the submission date of which was 15.05.2015, and “Energy production, sales and fuel consumption”, the submission date of which was 10.05.2015. Statistics Estonia published the monthly overview in eleven working days.