Manufacturing Sales Decline

Embargoed until 10:45am – 14 March 2007

Manufacturing Sales Decline

Seasonally adjusted manufacturing sales decreased 2.2 percent in the December 2006 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today. The largest contributor to the decrease was the meat and dairy product manufacturing industry which fell 6.3 percent.

Meat and dairy product manufacturing volumes fell 3.8 percent in the December 2006 quarter, while lower prices were received for both meat manufacturing (down 6.1 percent ) and dairy manufacturing (down 4.6 percent). This coincided with an appreciation of the New Zealand dollar in the December 2006 quarter.

Machinery and equipment manufacturing contributed the next-largest decrease in seasonally adjusted sales. The falls were partly offset by a rise in transport equipment manufacturing.

The manufacturing sales trend has eased recently, following a period of increase since the June 2005 quarter.

Excluding the meat and dairy product manufacturing industry, seasonally adjusted manufacturing sales fell 0.6 percent, the first fall since the December 2005 quarter.

Dallas Welch
Acting Government Statistician

ENDS

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