Manufacturing production in Morocco increased 2.0 percent from a year ago in the second quarter of 2019, down from a 2.7 percent rise in the previous period. It was the smallest gain in factory activity since the third quarter of 2017, as output growth slowed considerably for chemicals (2.1% vs 7.2% in Q1); textiles (1.3% vs 3.7%); apparel (6.5% vs 10.4%). In addition, production declined for metal products (-2.3% vs -12.1%); other non-metallic products (-3.3% vs 5.3%); leather, shoes & travel articles (-6.1% vs -1.4%); medical, precision & optical products (-9.6% vs 0.7%) and wood products (-12.1% vs -1.5%). Meanwhile, main gains were recorded for automotive products (10.9% vs 1.5%); food (5% vs 0.2%) and paper and cardboard (17.3% vs -0.5%). Industrial Production in Morocco averaged 2.91 percent from 2000 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 9.40 percent in the first quarter of 2000 and a record low of -4.40 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008.
Industrial Production in Morocco is expected to be 2.80 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Industrial Production in Morocco to stand at 2.70 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Morocco Manufacturing Production is projected to trend around 3.30 percent in 2020, according to our econometric models.