Colombian industrial production, excluding coffee processing, rose 1.6% in January, compared to the same month in 2009, the country’s National Statistics Department, or DANE, said Thursday.
The increase was led by 61.2% year-on-year increase in base chemical production and a 28.4% rise in oil and fats, and vegetable processing.
Non-metallic minerals, which include coal, fell 14.9%, the education sector fell 45.6% and petroleum refining fell 5.2%.
In the twelve months to January 2010, real manufacturing output declined 4.4%, led by a 28.7% fall in vehicle production, and a 15.8% contraction in iron and steel production. The vehicle sector was hit as domestic car sales fell and as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez blocked Colombian car imports following a diplomatic dispute.
Production of textiles fell 16.6% on the year to January 2010, and non-metallic minerals declined 7.2%.
Employment in the industrial sector fell 5% in January from the same month in 2009. In the twelve months to January 2010, industrial employment fell 6.5%.
