Industrial Production Index
Quarter 4 & Annual 2008

Provisional All Group Index for Quarter 4, 2008 stood at 130.8.

Compared to the previous quarter a 15.8% decrease was registered in the All-Group Index. Decreases were registered in the indices of food, beverage & tobacco; wood & wood products including furniture & upholstery; miscellaneous chemical products; cement & concrete products and structural metal products whilst increases were recorded in the indices of mining and quarrying; garments and footwear; paper & paper products, printing and publishing and electricity and water.

The All-Group Index including sugar and the All Group Index excluding sugar both shows a decline when compared to the previous and also to the previous corresponding quarter. Since sugar production is seasonal, most of the crushing is done in the later half of the year. Due to the high weight sugar has, a slight increase or a decrease in its production has an impact on the overall index as well as in the sub-group index.

Provisional All Group Index for 2008 stood at 128.9.

Compared to 2007 the IPI registered a 1.6 per cent decrease in the All-Group Index. Decreases were registered in the indices of food, beverages & tobacco; wood & wood products including furniture & uphostery; miscellaneous chemical products; structural metal products and electricity and water whilst increases were recorded in the indices of mining and quarrying; garment & footwear; paper & paper products, printing & publishing and cement and concrete products.