Revenues from the nation’s manufacturing sector posted five consecutive quarters of annual decline last quarter to NT$3.195 trillion (US$107.9 billion), due to a decrease in revenues from the computer and electronic components sector, according to the statistics released by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) yesterday.
Revenues from computers and related components dropped 17.11 percent year-on-year to NT$214.1 billlion last quarter, as reduced orders for local products on stiff competition has offset increased demand for PCs driven by the sales of Microsoft Corp’s new Windows 8 operating system, the ministry said.
For the whole of last year, revenues from the nation’s manufacturing sector shrank 3.61 percent to NT$12.78 trillion from NT$13.26 trillion in 2011, the ministry’s figures showed.
STRONG DEMAND
The ministry said that sales of electronic components grew 5.97 percent quarter-on-quarter to NT$846 billion last quarter, on the back of strong demand for mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, as well as large-sized flat-panel TVs, driving total annual sales of the products to NT$3.37 trillion.
Total manufacturing sales of computer and photoelectric components contracted 20.34 percent to NT$860.3 billion last year, it added.
SHIPMENTS
By product, computer and photoelectric components accounted for most manufactured products shipped abroad at 87.19 percent, followed by electronic components at 73.42 percent, the ministry said.
While food, drink and tobacco products accounted for more than 90 percent of manufacturing products sold in the domestic market, pulp paper, publishing products and non-metal minerals accounted for more than 80 percent, the ministry added.
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