Manufacturing production increased by 3.4% year-on-year in April, Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) has reported.

The largest contributions were made by the basic iron and steel, nonferrous metal products, metal products and machinery division, having increased by 5.3% and contributing 1.1 percentage points; the food and beverages division with 4.6% output growth and contributing one percentage point; the petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products division with 2.8% growth and contributing 0.6 of a percentage point; and the motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment division with 5% output growth and contributing 0.5 of a percentage point.

Seasonally adjusted manufacturing production increased by 0.5% in April compared with March. This followed a month-on-month increase of 3.4% in March and a 1.6% decrease in February.

Further, seasonally adjusted manufacturing production increased by 1.2% in the three months ended April, compared with the previous three months.

Four of the ten manufacturing divisions reported positive growth rates over this period. The largest contribution was made by the petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products division, with output having increased by 7.9% and contributing 1.6 percentage points.

Meanwhile, seasonally adjusted manufacturing sales decreased by 0.3% in April, compared with March. This followed month-on-month increases of 3.7% in March and 1.9% in February.

However, seasonally adjusted manufacturing sales increased by 5% in the three months ended April compared with the previous three months. The largest contributions were made by the petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products division increasing by 13.5% and contributing 2.7 percentage points, and the food and beverages division by 6.4% and contributing 1.5 percentage points, StatsSA said.