The Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) issued its quarterly bulletin on industrial production of public and private sector enterprises that employ 25 or more workers for the third quarter (Q3) of 2017. The report showed that the total industrial production value (excluding crude and refined petroleum) reached EGP 145.3bn during Q3 2017 (July-September) compared to EGP 135.5bn in Q2 2017 (April-June), an increase of 7.2%. Food products industrial activity represented the most important economic activity, which contributed 19%, followed by the iron and steel industry, precious metals, and foundry at 17.1%, then manufacture of basic chemicals, fertilisers, fibres, and industrial threads activity at 10.2% of industrial production value (excluding crude and refined petroleum). The CAPMAS added that the total production value for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics reached EGP 7.9bn in Q3, up from EGP 6.3bn in Q2, marking an increase of 24%, due to increased production lines. Moreover, the total production value for chemicals reached EGP 14.8bn, up from EGP 14.2bn in Q2, up by 3.9%, as work continued without interruptions. In addition, the CAPMAS stated that the total production value of the manufacture of food industries reached EGP 27.6bn in Q3, down by 17.1% from EGP 33.3bn in Q2, due to increased demand on mills included in the bread system, which resulted in reduced production.
