Colombia: Industrial production swings to contraction in April
The industrial sector swung to contraction in April, with output declining 1.3% over the same month of last year, according to data released by the country’s National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) on 14 June. This contrasts a 3.2% year-on-year upturn in March.
A breakdown of industrial activities shows that a drop in the production of sugar and panela, which fell more than 35%, led the decline, followed by the manufacture of basic chemical substances and their products, and output of non-metallic mineral products. The downturn was cushioned somewhat by expansions in the preparation of beverages; processing and preservation of meat, fish, crustaceans and molluscs; and manufacture of other chemicals.
Annual average growth in industrial production fell to 3.6% in April from 4.5% in March.