Industrial production edged down 3.1% in 2019, compared to the same period in 2018, according to data released by the National Statistics Institute (INS) on Tuesday.
This decrease is explained by the drop in production in the energy sector (-7.8%), the mechanical and electrical industries sector (-2.0%) and the textile, clothing and leather industries sector (-3.5%).
Similarly, production saw 62.8% decline in the oil refining sector (production of the Tunisian Company of Refining Industries STIR has been suspended since February 2019).
On the other hand, industrial production posted an increase in the chemical industry sector (+2.8%), the ceramic and glass building materials industry sector (+1.3%), the electricity and water production and distribution sector (+4.4%) and the mining sector (+18.8%) due to the rise recorded in the production of crude phosphate (4.1 million tons in 2019 against 2.8 million tons in 2018).
