The manufacturing and extractive industries index – excluding crude oil and petroleum
products – recorded 132.5 during August, up from compared to 130.65 during July showing an increase of 1.4%, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS).
The CAPMAS report added that food products index recorded reached 149.97 in August
compared to 129.96 in July, an increase of 15.40%. It attributed this increase to the availability of raw materials, increased demand, and an increase of ground wheat production.
While the paper and paper products manufacturing, the CAPMAS revealed that the
it recorded 148.06 in August compared to 81.33 in July, an increase of 86.1%, explaining that the increase was the result of a hike in demand.
On the other hand, it showed out that the manufacture of basic metals including iron, steel, aluminium, and other metals decreased by 5.8% in August, reaching 69.56, down from 73.82 in July.
The CAPMAS attributed the decrease to the low amount of coal supplied for furnaces and low demand.
“The manufacture of machinery and equipment reached 212.92 during August compared to 345.31 in July, a decrease of 38.3%, due to a slump in supplies and contracts,” it revealed.
