Moldovan industry records highest growth of last three years in 2017
15:31 | 16.02.2018 Category: Economic
Chisinau, 16 February /MOLDPRES/ - The industry - a sector accounting for almost 15 per cent of the Moldovan economy, in 2017 recorded a 3.4-per cent increase in the gross production against the year before, backed by the growths of the processing industry, according to data made public by the National Statistics Bureau (BNS) today.
The official statistics also shows that, at the same time, 3.7-per cent decreases were registered in the extractive industry and a 1.7-per cent decrease was recorded in the production and supply of electric and thermal energy, gas, hot water and conditioned air.
The industrial output, adjusted depending on the number of working days and the season, “grew by 5.4 per cent, due to the increase in the processing industry (+6.6 per cent)” in January-December 2017 against the previous year. “At the same time, decreases were recorded in the extractive industry (-4.7 per cent) and in the production and supply of electric, thermal energy, gas, hot water and conditioned air (-1.8 per cent),” BNS also said.
Experts from the Economics and Infrastructure Ministry explain the growth of industry by the positive developments registered in the agricultural sector, extension of foreign investors’ activity in some relatively new branches of industry, such as the automotive industry. The industry was given an impetus by an increase in the domestic and external demand for Moldovan industrial goods, including due to the opening of foreign markets, turning to good account of agreements on international economic cooperation.
In the first nine months of 2017, industry contributed with 14.5 per cent to the formation of Moldova’s Gross Domestic Product.
In 2016, the industrial production recorded a modest increase of 0.9 per cent against the year before, following an insignificant growth of 0.6 per cent in 2015.
The Economics and Infrastructure Ministry forecasts a five-per cent annual growth of industry in 2018 and 2019 and of six per cent in 2020.
(Reporter V. Bercu, editor A. Raileanu)
