The general index of producer prices in the industrial sector in the country recorded 121.95 points in March, down from the previous month by 2.56%, and by 16.88% from the same month of 2022.
The producer price index index for the industrial sector consists of four main sectors, namely: mining, which represents 82.46% of its value, the manufacturing sector, which represents 15.85%, the electricity sector, which represents 1.15%, and water, which represents 0.52% of the value of the index.
The data of the Planning and Statistics Authority on this indicator, which was issued today, indicates a decrease in the mining and quarrying sector by 2.94% compared to the previous month (February 2023), as a result of the decrease in the prices of the crude oil and natural gas extraction group by 2.94%, with the stability of the other activities group. For mining and quarrying, it was also noted that the index value of this sector decreased from the corresponding month of the previous year (March 2022) by 16.30%.
In the manufacturing sector, a decrease in the index amounted to 0.76% compared to the previous month (February 2023), and this occurred as a result of the decrease in five groups, which is the group of manufacturing refined petroleum products by 2.39%, followed by the group of manufacturing chemicals and chemical products by 0.95%, And the food products industry group increased by 0.34%, the cement industry group and other non-metallic mineral products increased by 0.29%, and the beverage industry group increased by 0.05%. As for the rise, it occurred in the rubber and plastics products industry group by 2.76%, and the base metals industry group (basic metals) by 1.62. %, while the group of printing and reproduction of recorded media did not witness any change in the month of March.
On the other hand, for the same sector, and in terms of annual change, a decrease was observed in the index of 22.03% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year (March 2022), due to the decrease in the prices of the chemicals and chemical products industry group by 28.58%, followed by the oil products industry group. Refined by 18.58%, and the base metals industry group (basic minerals) by 12.93%. While there was an increase in the food products industry group by 5.52%, followed by the rubber and plastics products industry group by 4.70%, the printing and reproduction of recorded media group by 2.88%, the beverage industry group by 1.20%, and the cement and other non-metallic products industry group by 0.49%.
As for the electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply sector, an increase in the index of 1.02% was observed compared to the previous month (February 2023), and compared to the corresponding month of the previous year (March 2022), the index for this sector increased by 11.76%.
As for the water supply sector, a decrease in the index of 1.78% was observed compared to the previous month (February 2023), and compared to the same month of the previous year (March 2022), the index for this sector increased by 8.64%.
