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Statistics Organisation Statistical Council eSTAT Database
Location: Statistics > Products > News releases > 2012 Eesti keeles
Updated: 2 May 2012 PDF file DOC file

Industrial production decreased in March

According to Statistics Estonia, in March 2012, the production of industrial enterprises decreased by 6% compared to the same month of the previous year. The decline in the production was most of all influenced by the manufacturing of electronic and metal products and electricity.

A small growth which took place at the beginning of 2012 in manufacturing, was replaced with a decline in March – the production of manufacturing decreased by 5% compared to March of the previous year. The main reason for the decline was the high comparison basis in the manufacturing of electronic products. Among the branches of industry holding larger shares, the production in the manufacture of electronic, metal and chemical products fell by 26%, 21% and 10%, respectively. The production in the manufacture wood, food products and electrical equipment grew by 8%, 3% and 7%, respectively.

In March 2012 compared to February 2012, the seasonally adjusted total industrial production as well as manufacturing decreased by 3%.

Compared to March 2011, the production of electricity decreased by 26% and the production of heat by 5%. The decrease in electricity production was caused by partly replacement of own production with imports due to the low-price offer of hydroelectricity of Nordic countries.

The volume index and trend of production in manufacturing, January 2003 – March 2012 (2005 = 100)

Diagram: The volume index and trend of production in manufacturing

Change in volume index of industrial production, March 2012 (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 -3.3 -8.5 -6.1
Energy production -12.0 -18.7 -18.7
Mining 4.6 -4.2 -4.2
Manufacturing -2.9 -7.4 -4.8
manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products -14.2 -28.4 -26.4
manufacture of wood and wood products 11.3 5.8 8.3
manufacture of food products -2.9 1.4 2.9
manufacture of fabricated metal products 5.9 -24.1 -21.1
manufacture of electrical equipment -0.1 7.0 7.0
manufacture of chemicals and chemical products -6.2 -13.2 -10.3
manufacture of motor vehicles -3.0 -8.2 -5.9
manufacture of machinery and equipment 1.4 14.1 18.5
manufacture of furniture 6.0 -3.2 -0.2
manufacture of building materials -1.2 2.5 5.6

a     In 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 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.

For further information:

Lilian Bõkova
Leading Statistician
Industry, Construction and Energy Statistics Service
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 625 9223

More detailed data have been published in the Statistical Database (volume index of industrial production and production of electricity and heat).

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Copyright: Statistics Estonia 2012
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