Manufactured export sales fall in Scotland

According to the latest Index of Manufactured Exports published by the Scottish Government, the largest contributors to falls were the refined petroleum, chemical and pharmaceutical products and food and drink, which together account for more than half of international manufactured exports from Scotland. The volume of refined petroleum, chemical and pharmaceutical products exports contracted 20% from the previous quarter, reflecting a reduction in export volumes during the temporary closure of the Grangemouth refinery and petrochemical complex in October 2013. Food and drink exports contracted 5.5%. However, engineering and allied industries grew 1.5%. Expansion was also seen in metals and metal products (+2.1%), non-metallic products, other manufacturing and repair (+12.6%), and wood, paper and printing (+0.1%). On a rolling-annual basis, comparing the latest four quarters to the previous four quarters, manufactured export volumes rose by 1.9%. The quarterly Index of Manufactured Exports measures changes, in real terms, in the volume of export sales to the rest of the world from manufacturing businesses located in Scotland.