Production in the Colombian manufacturing industry (excluding coffee processing) increased by 1.2 percent in October this year compared to the same month of 2011, as announced by the Colombian National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE).
In the month in question, Colombia's basic iron and steel production decreased by 19.2 percent on year-on-year basis, while in the first 10 months of the current year, Colombia's basic iron and steel production increased by 13 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
Meanwhile, in October this year, Colombia's iron and steel exports amounted to 22,273 mt, decreasing by 18.6 percent compared to October 2011 and down 18.7 percent compared to the previous month this year. Meanwhile, in the January-October period of the year the country's iron and steel exports reached to 276,130 mt, rising 10.1 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. In the period in question, Colombian ferronickel exports rose 30.5 percent year on year, amounting to 117,737 tons.
In October this year, Colombia's iron and steel exports value fell by 40.9 percent compared to the same month of the previous year and was down 25.5 percent compared to September, coming to $68.15 million, while the country's ferronickel export value decreased 50.9 percent compared to the same month of the previous year and was down 29.6 percent month on month, to $46.8 million.