In manufacturing, the production fell 2%. The main reason for this was the decrease in orders, both on the external and internal markets. The information of the Estonian Institute of Economic Research affirms the decrease in orders. The decrease in the production of manufacturing was mainly influenced by the production of food, wood and building materials. The decrease in the manufacturing of food is continually affected by price increase and by the decrease in consumption resulting from it. Compared to August of the previous year, 20% less beer, 15% less soft drinks and 10% less meat products were produced. Although the price increase has drawn back during last months, the prices in the production of food increased 17% compared to August of the previous year. The downward trend continued in the wood manufacturing, which is endangered by a serious shortage of materials. The supply of domestic wood was hindered by weather conditions, the imports of wood from Russia — by high customs tariffs. The largest fall (26%) was in the production of building materials, which is directly connected to the decrease in construction volumes.
Similarly to the previous months, in August the production increased primarily in the export-oriented branches of industry — in the manufacture of metal products, chemical products, electrical machinery. The production grew also in the manufacture of machinery, precision instruments and motor vehicles, where the share of exports was the biggest. The share of exports was 89% in the manufacture of motor vehicles and 93% in the manufacture of precision instruments.
Compared to August of the previous year, the production of electricity decreased 4%, the production of heat increased 2%. When since March till July 2008 on an average 30% of the consumed electricity was imported, then in August this share was only 1%.
In August compared to July, the seasonally adjusted industrial production of Estonia increased 2%.
The volume index and trend of production in manufacturing, January 1998 – August 2008
(2000 = 100)
Change in volume index of industrial production, August 2008
(percentage)
| Economic activity | Change compared
to previous month according to
seasonally adjusted dataa | Change compared to corresponding
month of previous year
|
| according to unadjusted data | according to working-day
adjusted datab |
| TOTAL | 1.6 | -7.5 | -2.6 |
| Energy production | 14.0 | -3.0 | -3.0 |
| Mining | 10.0 | -24.2 | -20.3 |
| Manufacturing | -1.5 | -7.1 | -1.8 |
| manufacture of food products and beverages | -2.0 | -13.6 | -10.1 |
| manufacture of wood and wood products | 5.9 | -20.5 | -16.2 |
| manufacture of fabricated metal products | 8.2 | 16.1 | 24.7 |
| manufacture of electrical machinery | 0.8 | 25.3 | 34.7 |
| manufacture of building materials | -0.3 | -28.6 | -25.5 |
| manufacture of chemicals and chemical products | -12.7 | 4.6 | 10.1 |
| manufacture of furniture; manufacturing not elsewhere classified | -4.3 | -15.9 | -9.5 |
| manufacture of radio, television and communication equipment and apparatus | -7.9 | -9.0 | -4.8 |
| manufacture of textiles | -5.3 | -9.9 | -3.2 |
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.
![[at]](/extensions/stat/images/at.png)