Harare, (New Ziana) – The 2024 Volume of Manufacturing Index (VMI) shows significant year-on-year production shifts across key sub-sectors, according to figures that the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) availed.
The VMI tracks production volume across 13 sub-sectors, weighted by their contribution to manufacturing Gross Domestic Product.
The figures were computed based on a survey of 81 large companies in various sectors and highlight both surges and declines in industrial output. The data reflects uneven recovery and demand trends, with textiles, clothing, and transport equipment leading growth, while paper/packaging and non-metallic minerals faced steep declines. The food and beverage sectors showed steady expansion, likely tied to resilient consumer demand.
In the foodstuffs category, the output index rose to 161.19 marking a 22.43 percent increase from 131.67 in Q4 2023 while the drinks,beverages and Tobacco index reached 198.97, an increase of 5.50 percent from 188.58 in the previous comparative quarter.
The textiles and ginning sector recorded a sharp 45.47 percent growth, with the index climbing from 62.13 to 90.38, the clothing and footwear production skyrocketed by 147.08 percent, with the index at 294.22 in the same quarter in 2023 while the paper, printing & packaging suffered an 83.38 percent decline, dropping to 35.27 from 212.25.
Output for chemicals and petroleum grew 17.96 percent to 93.57 from 79.32 in 2023, the non-metallic minerals index fell 17.58 percent to 122.70 from 148.87 while the metals and metal products recorded a modest 4.88 percent increase to 175.76 against 167.5 previously and the Transport equipment surged 80.61 percent to 170.12 from 94.19.
Experts say the mixed VMI results may signal sector-specific challenges, such as supply chain bottlenecks for some products like paper or booming export demand for textiles, showing the need for policy makers to address sub-sector vulnerabilities to sustain manufacturing momentum.
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