The Producer Price Index for the Manufacturing Sector (PPI-M)

LOCAL SALES PRODUCTS

The quarterly index for products manufactured for local sales that was at 129.6 in the fourth quarter of the year 2007 rose to 135.6 in the first quarter of the year 2008. That is an increase of 4.6%. This was mainly due to a 5.6% increase in the food product index, 2.1% increase of the beverages and tobacco index and a 5.6% increase of the other than food, beverages and tobacco index. 

EXPORTS PRODUCTS 

The quarterly index for the manufacturing export products that was at 152.8 in the fourth quarter of the year 2007 rose to 164.7 in the first quarter of the year 2008. On quarterly basis the index rose by 7.8% mainly due to a 19.9% increase of the production of tea index.