Based on data produced by the Barbados Statistical Service, the Producer Price Index (Manufacturing) for April 2015 stood at 105.3 points, representing a decrease of 0.8 per cent when compared with the 106.2 points recorded the previous month.

Declines were registered for Beverages by 5.3 per cent; Petroleum and Chemical Products by 1.5 per cent; and Other Manufacturing by 0.7 per cent.

Food Products, Wearing Apparel, Printing and Reproduction of Recorded Media, Rubber and Plastics Products, Other Non-Metallic Mineral Products, Fabricated Metal Products, except Machinery and Equipment, and Furniture remained constant over the period.

Between April 2014 and April 2015, the Producer Price Index declined by 0.3 per cent from 105.7 to 105.3 points.??The Food Production Sector experienced a decline of 0.2 per cent between April 2014 and April 2015.

Decreases in prepared animal feeds of 5.6 per cent and sugar by 2.7 per cent contributed to the decline. However, increases were recorded during the period for processing and preserving of fish, crustaceans and molluscs by 11.8 per cent and processing and preserving of meat by 1.1 per cent.

Beverages decreased by 3.4 per cent during that 12-month period because of a 6.6 per cent decline in distilling, rectifying and blending of spirits.??The Other Non-Metallic Mineral Products Sector showed a decrease of 0.3 per cent between April 2014 and April 2015. A decrease of 0.5 per cent in articles of concrete, cement and plaster was recorded during the period.

The year-on-year index for the Fabricated Metal Products, except Machinery and Equipment Sector for April 2015 recorded an increase of 7.1 per cent. This was reflected in increases in Structured Metal Products by 14.4 per cent and other fabricated metal products, not elsewhere classified, by 10.0 per cent.

Author: Division of Economic Affairs/BGIS

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