São Paulo industry operating 8.1% higher than before pandemic – IBGE

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL –  São Paulo’s industry is currently operating 8.1% above the February 2020 level, before the pandemic, according to data from the Monthly Industrial Survey – Regional Physical Production, released by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

The increase of 1.1% in the state’s production in January, compared to December, provided the greatest positive contribution to the 0.4% growth in domestic industry for the month.

Growth in São Paulo, the country’s largest industrial park, was mainly driven by the motor vehicle sector, followed by the machinery and equipment segment, pointed out Bernardo Almeida, manager of the IBGE survey.

In addition to São Paulo, another 7 states are operating at a faster pace than in February last year: Santa Catarina (13.2%), Ceará (11.7%), Paraná (10.7%), Rio Grande do Sul (10.0%), Minas Gerais (9.9%), Pará (4.1%) and Pernambuco (3.3%).

In terms of the average national production, in January 2021 the industry reached a level 3.7% higher than in February 2020.