Northern Ireland manufacturing sales exports hit record high

Total manufacturing sales rose by 1.9% (1.2% in real terms) in NI to £16.9bn in 2012/13, NISRA's latest manufacturing sales and exports survey has reported. Sales within NI decreased at current prices by £107 million to £3.6bn (down 2.9% over the year and remaining below peak levels last reported in 2007/08). However, sales to Britain increased by £47m to £8.1bn (up 6.2% over the year), the highest on record. Exports (sales to the Republic of Ireland, the Rest of Europe and the Rest of the World) decreased by £62m (1.2%) over the year, to just under £5.2bn, largely driven by a decrease in sales to the rest of the EU. However, after adjusting for price changes over the year, this represented an increase of 0.4% in real terms and follows growth of 4.3% in real terms in the previous period (2010/11 - 2011/12). Exports to the Republic of Ireland (ROI) increased by £68m (5.3%) over the year to just over £1.3bn. This is the second consecutive year of increasing sales to ROI, following three consecutive years of falling sales. After adjusting for price changes over the year, the 2012/13 sales represented an increase of 7.0% in real terms. Exports to the rest of the EU (excluding the ROI) fell over the year by £181m (13.1%) to £1.2bn, a real terms decrease of 11.7%. Exports to the rest of the world increased by £52m (2%) to £2.6bn, representing a rise of 3.6% in real terms.