According to the preliminary data released by Statistics South Africa (SSA), in March this year South Africa's manufacturing output rose by 0.7 percent compared to the same month of 2013. The main reasons for the increase included the 4.6 percent increase in output of basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery and the 9.8 percent rise in output of wood and wood products, paper, publishing and printing, according to the SSA.
The production of basic iron and steel products in South Africa increased by 15.8 percent year on year in March, while the seasonally adjusted production index of basic iron and steel products decreased by 3.9 percent in the given month compared to February.
For basic iron and steel products, the estimated seasonally adjusted sales of manufactured products (at current prices) in March this year increased by 1.7 percent month on month, amounting to ZAR 9.17 billion ($885.8 million), while the actual sales value of basic iron and steel products increased by 11.6 percent year on year.
