Production in the entire industry recorded a decline of 0.6% during the first five months of 2016, compared to the same period of 2015 (-1.1% From January to May 2015), according to the latest statistics published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
This decrease, taking place in a sluggish economic environment, is due mainly to the contraction of production in the food industry (-7.7%), due to the sharp decline in the production of oil olive (106,400 tons in the first 5 months of 2016, against 268,600 tons in 2015), oil refining industry
(-10.2%) and extraction of energy products (-12.3%).
However, production is growing strongly in non-energy products extraction sector (+ 42.1%), following the resumption of production of crude phosphate (1.568 million tons in 2016, against 693, 000 tons in 2015) and chemical industries (+ 27.3%).
Production also posted a more moderate increase in the areas of mechanical and electrical industry by 2.1% and the manufacturing sector of other non-metallic mineral products (2.7%), following the rise in the production of cement, lime and plaster (+ 3.8%).
