Industry is the largest sector of the economy, an important driver of economic growth and the index of industrial production covers the economic indicators of three industrial activities: mining, energy production and manufacturing.

Helle Bunder, an analyst at Statistics Estonia, said in January production volumes fell in half of manufacturing activities.

"Among the activities with larger shares, production fell in the manufacture of food products and in the manufacture of computers and electronic products, which had recorded growth in the previous six months. In January, there was an increase in the manufacture of wood, which had also grown in the previous half a year, and in the manufacture of metal products," she said.

Of the total production of manufacturing, 67 percent was sold to the external market. The share of export sales was the largest in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and the manufacture of computers and electronic products.

Exports decreased by 7 percent and sales to the domestic market by 16 percent year on year.

In January 2021, compared to December 2020, the seasonally adjusted total industrial production decreased by 1 percent and the production of manufacturing by 2 percent. 

In energy production, the volume of electricity production (in megawatt-hours) increased by 34 percent and the production of heat by 32 percent compared to January 2020.

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