Industrial statistics continue to worsen

Industrial production was down by 25.4 percent in February 2009, compared to the same month in 2008 and by 4.1 percent compared to January 2009. As a result of a drastic reduction in demand, industrial export was down by 30.4 percent in the first two months of 2009, compared to the same period in 2008. Domestic sales of the processing industry were down by 18.4 percent in the first two months of 2009, owing mainly to a reduction in orders for domestic suppliers of exporters. – Production in the food, beverage and tobacco industry was down by 4.5 percent in the same period. New export orders were down by 37 percent, while new domestic orders were down by 28.1 percent.