The gross output of the manufacturing sector amounted to $164.3 billion last year, down 4.1% on the previous year, the Census & Statistics Department says.

Its 2007 Annual Survey of Industrial Production, released today, found the gross surplus of the manufacturing sector fell 4% from a year earlier, to $19.3 billion.

The value added of the manufacturing sector, which is a measure of its contribution to Hong Kong's Gross Domestic Product, amounted to $43.8 billion, or a fall of 8.6% from a year earlier.

Within the manufacturing sector the five largest broad industry groups in terms of value added were: paper products, printing and publishing; food, beverages and tobacco; basic metals, fabricated metal products, machinery and equipment; chemical, rubber, plastic and non-metallic mineral products; and textiles. They together accounted for 83.7% of the total value added of the whole sector.

Compared to a year earlier, increases in value added were recorded in paper products, printing and publishing (15.5%), chemical, rubber, plastic and non-metallic mineral products (12.3%), food, beverages and tobacco (11%) and other miscellaneous manufacturing industries (31.2%).

The value added of the electrical and electronic products fell by 48.7%, textiles by 42.2%, wearing apparel by 33.5% and basic metals, fabricated metal products, machinery and equipment by 22%.