Manufacturing Sales Continue To Rise

Economic Survey of Manufacturing: December 2000 quarter

Seasonally adjusted manufacturing sales rose by $557 million or 3.8 per cent to $15,342 million in the December 2000 quarter when compared with the previous quarter, according to Statistics New Zealand's latest Quarterly Manufacturing Survey. The trend in manufacturing sales has now been increasing since the March 1999 quarter. If the effects of price increases are removed, the volume of manufacturing sales increased by 1.2 per cent in the December 2000 quarter.

Eight of the 10 industries recorded higher seasonally adjusted sales in the December 2000 quarter compared to the September 2000 quarter. A $287 million or 8.5 per cent increase in sales of meat and dairy manufactured products accounted for over half of the December 2000 quarter's overall growth. The industry to record the second largest increase in seasonally adjusted sales in the December 2000 quarter was machinery and equipment manufactured products, up $159 million or 8.4 per cent.

The two industries to record a decrease in seasonally adjusted sales in the December 2000 quarter were wood and paper product manufacturing, down $110 million or 6.1 per cent, and textile, clothing, footwear, and leather manufacturing, down $31 million or 4.4 per cent.

The value of both finished goods and raw materials stocks at 31 December 2000 were at their highest levels since the current series commenced in December 1990. Finished goods stocks were valued at $4,212 million, while raw materials stocks were valued at $2,769 million.

Brian Pink GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN

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