Industrial production fell by 2.8% in the first three months of 2018, according to figures released by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
This decline due mainly to lower production in the chemical industry (-25.2%), following the decrease recorded in the production of phosphate derivatives, the manufacturing sector of other non-metal mineral products (-5.4%), the petroleum refining sector (-80.7%), the mining sector (-8.0%), due to the decline in extraction of non-energy products (-40.1%) following the decrease observed in the production of crude phosphate (468.600 tons in the first three months of 2018 compared to 1.328.700 tons in 2017), and the energy products extraction sector (-2.4%).
On the other hand, industrial production increased by 16.5% in the agri-food sector, following the rise in olive oil production and the mechanical and electrical industry sector 7% and the clothing and leather textile industry sector 0.2%.
