Industrial production fell by 0.7% in the first nine months of 2018, compared with the same period last year. According to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS), this decrease is explained by the decline in production in the chemical industry sector (-9.9%), following the decrease observed in the production of phosphate derivatives, the non-metal mineral products manufacturing sector (-2.9%) and the petroleum refining sector (-28.5%). The non-energy extraction sector posted a 15.6% decline due to the drop in crude phosphate production to 2.616 million tons in the first nine months of 2018 compared with 3.586 million tons at the end of September 2017, i.e. a fall of 27%. Phosphate production and washing units belonging to the Gafsa Phosphates Company (CPG) in Redaief, Oum Larayes and M’Dhila in Gafsa governorate have been paralyzed since last Monday after protests by unemployed people who took part at a staffing competition but were not hired. On the other hand, industrial production increased by 5.9% in the agri-food industry (due to the increase in olive oil production), the mechanical and electrical 1.3%, the clothing and leather textile industry sector by 1% and the energy products extraction sector by 1.5%.
Crude phosphate production in Tunisia has declined by over a quarter to 5 million tons by the end of September from 3.6 million tons in the same period last year , according data from the National bureau of Statistics . It phosphate industrial production across the country was down 0.7 % for the period , with a drop in phosphate derivatives exports driving a 9.9 % slump in the phosphate industry overall . The declines were blamed on employment protests , which caused disruptions again recently including the suspension of output at three facilities owned by phosphate Phosphates Company .