Morocco's industrial production up 3.5 per cent

Morocco's industrial production in 2000 scored a 3.5 per cent rise against 2.4 per cent the previous year, the department of the general economic policy disclosed.

The rise was possible thanks to performance in the food, textile and leather industries, whose production rose by 5.2 per cent and 0.7 per cent respectively.

However, the rise was lower in the metal, electrical and electronic industries, from 6.6 per cent in 1999 to 3.5 per cent in 2000.

In the electric and electronic appliances sector, the rise in production was stable at 0.6 per cent.

In the chemical and pharmaceutical industries it fell from 4.8 per cent in 1999 to 3.4 per cent in 2000.

According to the department estimates, industrial activity would rise by 4.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2001, compared to 4.1 per cent in the same period last year.